Celebrate Work by Playing All Day

Labor Day is approaching this weekend (in the US, anyway) and for many of us it’s simply a chance for a 3-day weekend. Travel, parties, a final time in the swimming pool, or maybe just some relaxation…it’s a nice passage from summer to fall (which doesn’t actually start for another 3 weeks, but whatever).

But Labor Day began as something more: a celebration of the working class’ hard work that built our modern economy. And maybe, as we enjoy our days off, it would be good to reflect a bit on why we have those days off.

As our economy continues its shift from industrial-based to knowledge-based, the face of the working class may change, but it still exists. For you, in the creative fields, your Creatives represent the working class. They may have college degrees, they may have fancy certifications, they may carry portfolios rather than filling out job applications, they may never break a sweat, but in a knowledge economy they are the working class, and that’s worth thinking about.

You might want to take this opportunity to reflect on your relationship with your Creatives. Think about who they are and what they’re trying to achieve for themselves, and evaluate how that fits into your company’s plans. See what concerns they have, not just inside the office but also what sorts of things on the outside might affect their work with you. Examine your own performance over the last year -- have you learned anything? Do you handle problems better? Are you able to see opportunities more easily? Does your leadership meet their needs, and does their followership meet yours? If you see some things that might need fixing, well, go ahead and start fixing them.

This isn’t to say you should cancel your plans for the beach and instead go into a cave and meditate on your existence for three days (unless that’s what you already planned to do). We here at LeadingCreatives.com have our own plans for the weekend involving the 212 area code. But in addition to enjoying the time off this coming weekend, give your own labor situation some thought, whether at home or at work or wherever. If you pick a point during the year, every year, when you take stock of your leadership and your employees, well then, you’ll do it at least once a year. That may be the bare minimum, but it’s better than nothing, yes?