Career Advice

Dennis Bakke

Imagine a company where people love coming to work and are highly productive on a daily basis ...

Dennis Bakke, author of "Joy at Work: A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job" (PVG), will be online to discuss his new book, and what you can do to make worklife more enjoyable.

To learn more about "Joy at Work," visit here.

The transcript follows below.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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washingtonpost.com: Good afternoon! Welcome to this special Jobs edition of Live Online. Today's guest is Dennis Bakke, author of "Joy at Work: A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job."

Dennis, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us about what inspired you to write this book?

Dennis Bakke: To tell of my journey to create the most fun work place in human history and teach the real purpose of business.

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Fairfax, Va.: I am having problems adjusting to changes within my group. We started out as a small scrappy team that was just trying to make it and over the last three years, our team culture has changed significantly. We went from 15 to 150 people, there's less concern about individuals and more about corporate politics and advancement of the management. I'm looking to move on since I miss the teamwork and support. But I'm not sure what made the team I joined so great: the small numbers or the attitude. Do you have any suggestions as to what I should look for?

Thanks

Dennis Bakke: This is a very typical situation. Fun comes in many small start-up groups because everyone is trusted and gets to take on important responsibilities and decisions. Often, when the group gets bigger, bosses start to control things and make most of the important decisions or at least must approve everything. The fun is sapped from the organization very quickly.

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D.C.: I try to stay positive about my job ... I really do ... but I see it as just that -- a job. Not really as something that I truly enjoy doing, which is ultimately what I want out of work. I don't like waking up in the morning and thinking, "Oh God, not another day of getting up and going to work." Should I just try to find something that I love doing or try a different approach to my current situation?

Dennis Bakke: Of course you can just quit and move on, but you might not find the next place any better. You might try voluntarily taking on more responsibility, coming in early and/or staying later to show the boss you are capable and wish to take on important jobs and decisions.

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Chicago, Illinois: I am sure you get this question all the time -- but how do you know whether you need to make a change or that you are just suffering from "the grass is greener" syndrome (i.e., that you assume -- perhaps incorrectly -- that any other job has to be better than the one you have)?

Dennis Bakke: The best test is whether you are getting to take important actions or make important decisions in your current job that affect the product or service of the organization. You will not likely want to leave if you are using your abilities and making a difference in the organization.

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Midwest: Do you know anything about something called the "VIA signature strengths" survey? It's part of a Web site created by someone named Martin Seligman. I was directed to take part in the survey (which asked a lot of specific questions about the type of work I enjoyed), but the "results" were so vague, that I am still not sure I know what it proved. Are you familiar with this?

Dennis Bakke: In my experience, surveys about what you enjoy are not very helpful in deciding where to work. Look for a place or a leader that will allow you to use your ability to think and make decisions or use your physical skills in such a way that they contribute to the success of the organization. This is not easy to determine from outside the organization, but do the best you can by asking those who work there. Read Joy at Work for some more information on the kind of workplace that promotes joy. Check out our website at DennisBakke.com as well.

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Southern Maryland: I have not yet read your book but plan on buying it. Is it geared toward "Joy in Management" or "Joy as an Underappreciated Support Staff under the Boot of Management?" Unfortunately I was born before women's lib., and began my working life as a clerk-steno with the government. I have had to support myself for the past 40 years -- went to night school for 6 years for an AA degree -- working 2 jobs to pay for it and all living expenses. I am now an older woman working in a big firm with management made up of people half my age. I have hated every single minute of the past 40 years because every job now requires a full 4-year degree. I hate the oppressive and insulting attitude of the people "above" me. They treat us like dogsh-t on their shoes. Our secretarial manager, an airhead younger than some of my wardrobe, does not manage -- she responds to every complaint with a well-worded reply. No improvements, only well worded replies. The professionals here (Harvard, Yale, Princeton grads) are bent out of shape that they have to share the same hemisphere during working hours.

I am counting the months until I retire and can then possibly work part-time at a fun job.

I am a hard worker, conscientious, show up on time, do not sneak out early nor spend hours on personal phone calls. I finish what I start and can keep confidential matters to myself. Would anyone like to adopt a 58-year-old woman so she can go back to college and finish her degree?

Dennis Bakke: What you are experiencing is similar to a majority of people in the workplace. Some polls say 65 to 90% of people are unhappy or even miserable in their job. This is a tragedy. I am not sure I can help you and I am not even sure that going back to college will solve the problem. Bosses, like me, enjoy having fun and that means keeping control and making decisions. We are often unaware of how miserable that makes everyone in the organization. The only thing you might try is to go beyond the effort and time you are spending now. Ask for more responsibility, more decisions, more projects and maybe the bosses will begin to trust you. They might even forget you didn't go to Harvard.

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Atlanta, Ga.: My boss is not pleased with my work. In the morning we are scheduled to meet to discuss what I can/should do better. I am to write all this done and presumably give it to her. I am petrified of losing my job. I don't love what I do, but I do enjoy the people I work with -- except for my boss. I feel I get no feedback until something is done "incorrectly." By then, of course, it's too late.

Should I start looking elsewhere or is this a chance for a new beginning?

Dennis Bakke: Don't look for the job just yet. Try asking advice of others, including your boss, before you take on a particular task or make a decision. That will be well received by everyone you ask. Don't succumb to the fear of losing your job. Do the right thing even if it means you have to leave your job eventually.

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Ft. Belvoir, Va.: In regard to "Fairfax" ... if someone already doesn't like their job, how is coming in earlier and/or staying later going to make them enjoy it any more? Isn't that just going to prolong the agony? What if the nature of the job is such that they don't want any more involvement than they already have?

Dennis Bakke: Send an anonymous e-mail to your boss through our Web site at DennisBakke.com. Job satisfaction has very little to do with the nature of the work and almost everything to do with the amount of control you have over what you do.

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Washington, D.C.: What resources do you recommend to help me find what it is I would actually enjoy doing? I look back on 30 years of working and realize I've never really enjoyed any of my jobs. Since I'm not wealthy, I have no choice but to work, and probably for the rest of my life. It sure would be nice to work at a job that I enjoy. The thing is, I don't have a clue what that is. Any way I can find out?

Dennis Bakke: See my earlier answers. Don't waste so much time finding out the specific type of work you like. No job is fun and enjoyable if your work doesn't contribute in an important way to the success of the organization and unless you have control of important aspects of your work.

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Arlington, Va.: I have been in this job for five months, but have ten years of specific expertise in this field. My new boss is a control freak, doesn't delegate anything, and forces the staff to come to her for every single decision -- even on the most minor matters. The tasks I perform are similar to those I used to give interns to do. Is five months enough time to know that I should move on? I have spoken directly to my boss about getting more responsibility and decision-making power, but she just gets angry.

Dennis Bakke: This doesn't sound like there is much hope. You could just surprise your boss by volunteering and taking on the bosses toughest issues or tasks. You may have already done that, however.

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Baltimore, Md.: Dennis,

I have really blown it! I worked for an organization for 9 years and really loved it. A spouse move brought me to this area and in the past 7 years I have had 5 jobs. Some were really bad choices on my part, others were just unfortunate circumstances and organizational restructuring that left me the most dispensable one. How do I repair my career and get back in a groove? I want to settle someplace and become a real part of a team again.

Dennis Bakke: It is never too late to start over. You haven't blown anything permanently. Look for a place where your boss will allow you to use your skills and decision-making ability. Pay, friends, job security, benefits, nice bosses and most other things people look for in work places are way down the line in importance to Joy filled workplace.

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Southern Maryland again.....: Thank you for responding to my venting session. I have on occasion offered suggestions to my manager and to the training department. They, in turn, put those suggestions out as their own and got the glory for them. I keep my mouth shut now.

I have also, in other jobs, taken on more responsibility and duties but was not compensated for that extra work. The firm was getting an office manager at a secretary's salary. Why should I knock myself out to strive for a higher position when the salary stayed the same?

Also, volunteering to help out people who are swamped under their workload labels you as a 'soft touch.' My grandfather used to tell me I was "a small potato and an easy peel" meaning people could take advantage of me. Not any more.

Dennis Bakke: Unless you risk being taken advantage of you will never experience joy at work.

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Washington, D.C.: My surroundings have always been very important to me, and in the past I've enjoyed personalizing my workspace. Whether it's been a cubicle or small office, just a few personal touches made a big difference. A couple family photos, a tasteful decorative item or two, a calendar with scenic photographs, certainly nothing that would detract from a professional environment. I always felt more relaxed, focused and productive with a few decorations of my own choosing, and never minded spending extra time at work as a result. However, the company I am with now has a strict rule against displaying any personal items, except in private offices (which I do not have). While my job performance is still great, I'm finding the environment a bit depressing, and I've noticed that I'm not as motivated to come in early and stay late. Any suggestions for making this faceless environment more "fun?" I fully realize that I am here to do a job and not for my own personal enjoyment; this just isn't the environment in which I can do my best work.

Dennis Bakke: While it seems strange to me that there is such a rule, I doubt that your inability to display these items has anything to do with your "depressed attitude." Joy at work is not about the physical surrounding in which you work.

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Washington, D.C.: I basically have nothing to do during the day. Despite an advanced degree, there's very little work for me. I've gone to people to ask for work but am rarely given any. Should I start looking for a new job?

Dennis Bakke: Yes

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Virginia: What do you do when you know what you want to do -- but can't get the job? Not even a specific job but I know what area I want to work in, and the types of functions I like doing, but am having no luck.

Dennis Bakke: I don't think I have any good suggestions for your problem.

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washingtonpost.com: That's it for today, folks! Thank you to Dennis Bakke for joining us. Please stayed tuned to the Live Online schedule for future special edition Jobs discussions.

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