Eight Lessons From The Front

A few years back, I was honored to give the commencement address to the classes of 2005 being graduated from University Center Cesar Ritz, an group of international hospitality and travel colleges in Brig, Switzerland, which I served as an adjunct faculty member in the hotel school. The address was well received, even by jaded faculty who had sat through many a commencement drone.

Telling a friend about it recently, he urged me to reproduce the talk here, on Northwest Ruminations. I will serialize what I call my "eight lessons from the front," being mainly a recounting of what I learned the hard way, from making mistakes -- sometimes repeatedly to my chagrin -- but to my eventual benefit.

I. Find Work You Love
There is no one sadder than the person stuck in a job they do not like. Over time, that job will just grind them down. Loving what one does is the prime ingredient of success. It endows enthusiasm, energy, and interest – those extras that distinguish the comer from the also-ran, the person whose career will blossom into multiple options and rewards.

I’ve always loved my work. First, doing market assessments of new products in the development labs of General Mills; then introducing and marketing new packaged foods; then helping plan and manage a diversification venture into toys and games; then managing a diverse group of marketing and advertising services; installing and managing a marketing process in hotel and resort businesses; and finally consulting on and teaching marketing process management.

Only once did I stick in a job I didn't love; I was doing no one any good -- me, my family, the organization. I badgered my way out of it after a couple of years, but I learned the anchor not loving one 's work can be.

I made my share of mistakes along the way but -- save for that one exception when I compromised -- I loved getting up and going to work, wrestling with work problems in off hours, and challenging conventional approaches to the job.

If you don’t love the work you find yourself in and can't force a change, then drop the job and search until you find work you can love.