Where does the perfect organization exist?

Talented, highly skilled people, who are committed to doing their work well and making a difference.
Leadership that actually knows how to give direction to the organization
Actually, leadership period.
Managers who aren’t insecure about their peers’/subordinates. Managers who actually are efficient in what they do.
Respect for people’s skills, intelligences, and what they bring to the organization.
An open, honest culture that is conducive to growth and learning.
Integrity, ethics and a code of conduct for working.
Awards and rewards given to truly deserving people.
A workplace that is fun
Visibility not equated with how late you are seen in office
Putting in late hours is actually questioned rather than people boasting about it
Things happening as per plan… for a change! Oh sorry, there being a plan that is realistic and logical!
Work-life balance is not just another term used in management books
You spend more time doing actual work than correcting the outcome of others’ inefficiencies

Such a place sounds like the perfect organization. Know a place like this? Sadly, I think the most common response to the question would be “in your dreams!”

Why is it that almost all organizations, be it big or small, suffer from the same problems and same types of issues? And the root of these issues, typically, boils down to leadership, rather the lack of. I’ve worked with one person who was a really good leader, and I have friends who have experienced that perfect leader once in their work lives. But sadly, there was only that one exception to the general rule of bad leaders. What is even sadder is that these exceptions have gotten lost somewhere.

As a result, you might change companies, but the issues never change. The range of the issues might, but typically the intensity doesn’t.
It increasingly feels like that companies are constantly selling out… they do have somewhat of a soul to begin with, but with constant pressure to expand (also labeled as growth), they hire anyone, and I mean just about anyone to do anything and everything. And while there is constant talk of vision, strategy, etc. (well, almost… I recently had a leader tell me that he doesn’t believe in having a vision), things are always unfocussed and haphazard. Really like headless chicken running around.

Is this just me? Are things different out there? Does the perfect organization really exist? Or is it just a mirage in the desert of our own little work-imaginations?

Sunday Night Blues...

I don't suffer from Monday morning blues... At least not for the same reasons that most others do.
My ‘blues’ are linked to another phenomenon altogether... Something I call the 'Sunday Night Syndrome'. You see, though I’m a habitual late sleeper, on weekdays I am tired enough to crash out in time to get an average of 7 hours of sleep. But on Sunday nights, I turn into this raging insomniac.

I’ve tried many different things that will hopefully make me fall asleep. Starting from counting sheep… whoever suggested that as a remedy couldn’t have been a true insomniac. Coz when a true insomniac counts sheep, the entire herd crosses the fence and back, many times over without there being any sleep to show for it.
So I try and think happy, peaceful, calm thoughts. You know, the types that would hopefully lull you into sleep. But no sirree! That’s when my mind takes on this philosophical bent, and the ‘where-am-I-headed-in-life’ type of thoughts enter. I’ve even had a world peace category!
I read for a bit and then try and sleep again, only to find myself looking at the clock and calculating the number of hours of sleep that I would be potentially getting IF I went to sleep that instant!

At first, I thought it was a one-off thing, and attributed the sleeplessness to too much of sleep in the afternoon, etc.
But when I realized that it was a phenomenon, I came up with what promised to be the end of my sleepless problems! You see, I had this grand plan which (in my head) was a winner!

My plan began with not getting enough sleep on Sat night/Sunday morning. (In my case this means getting about 7 hours of sleep, which is sacrilege for a weekend!). I did a lot of work throughout the day feeling good about the fact that I was tiring myself out. And made sure that I didn’t sleep a wink, even if it meant splashing really cold water to help keep my eyes open.

So, come nighttime and what happens when I hit the bed?? I end up staring at the ceiling for hours as a familiar feeling overcomes me… the return of bloody Sunday Night Syndrome!!!!