It’s Not the Job That Sucks

As a reminder, 70% of Americans dislike or hate their jobs. Pretty sad, eh? 7 out of 10 people are living somewhere between mere tolerance and absolute misery. I've talked about this countless times before, but today, I will take a different approach. Here's my hot take of the week: It's not your job that sucks.

Well, your job may or may not suck, but that's not what's driving this 70% number. There's a saying that lives rent-free in my head: "People don't leave bad jobs; they leave bad leaders."

The data is beginning to show that people who have a terrible job but a great leader surprisingly experience more enjoyment, meaning, and fulfillment in their work than people who have a great job but a terrible leader.

My own life experience affirms this. When I was in high school, I worked at a cheese factory. No, not a Cheesecake Factory. A literal cheese factory. Unsurprisingly, being 17 years old and waking up at 4AM every Sunday to package cheese is a terrible job. It was cold, boring, and monotonous. However, I enjoyed that job! Why? Because my leaders were really good. They breathed life into the work, and the culture thrived.

Conversely, many years later, I had one of the coolest jobs ever. I won't share too many details about it, as I don't want what I'm about to say to land on a specific person. But let's just say the job was really freaking cool! However, my leader wasn't so great. Their attitude, coldness, self-serving priorities, treatment of others, seeming unwillingness to hold people accountable, and overall lack of respect created an environment where neither I nor others found enjoyment, meaning, or fulfillment. They sucked the life out of the work, and the culture suffered.

I have two takeaways today. First, if you're one of the 70% of Americans who dislike or hate their job, it means you might be one good leader away from joining the 30% club. Perhaps that means an intentional shift within your current organization, a similar job at a different organization, or some other lateral but small move would suffice. It doesn't mean you must blow up your entire life like I did. You don't have to make a drastic 180-degree turn to find meaning in your work. This should be fantastic news! Congratulations, one small tweak might be the difference between misery and meaning. Between tolerance and fulfillment. Between dread and excitement.

Here's my second takeaway. Many of you are leaders in your organizations. Through your leadership (or lack thereof), some of you are turning crappy jobs into amazing jobs, and some are turning amazing jobs into crappy jobs. You possess the keys to other people's work experience. While that doesn't sound fair, and perhaps an overweight responsibility, it's reality. It's your reality, and it's your team's reality. Oh yeah, and it's an amazing opportunity!

So, if you're in a job you dislike or hate (as most Americans are), ask yourself why. Is it really the job? Or is it your leaders? The answer to that question may change everything.

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