Mercenaries over Missionaries

Employers want employees to act like cult members. But then when going gets tough, those employees the first laid off, and the least prepared for it.

Employers, you can’t have it both ways. If you want good people to truly believe in the mission, don’t treat them as expendable. Invest in people who invest in you. Support them and their families. Don’t engage in layoffs to just juice the stock. Don’t treat great people as disposable.

Otherwise, to great employees, it’s “just a job”. They have every incentive to be mercenaries. Expect job hopping.

To mediocre employees they’ll give you obedience, but not great work. You choose which one you want — do you want to juice your ego? Or actually get great work and ideas?

And to the employees — corporations don’t deserve your loyalty. Your fellow human beings do.

Great teams will come along in your career, you’ll feel like everything clicks. You’ll feel flow and tremendous growth. It doesn’t matter “what the mission is” in these cases, it matters you’ve found a great set of people you click with.

You’ll want to work hard for this team, and you’ll love the intensity.

That’s where the gold is. Focus on those relationships, beyond this one company. Support them, and you’ll be supported.

That’s what real loyalty is.

Eventually something will happen, that company will do a reorg. The great team will dissolve. Then you can ask yourself “what’s the next great team for me”.

In other words - Start with Who not Why.

Instead of constant chaos and layoffs, smart employers could create great teams filled with smart people with autonomy and a clear mandate. Smart people will be attracted to that team and want to work there. They’ll want to stay and work with those they love.