The world of work: A child's perspective

The world of work: A child’s perspective

I have recently returned from the UK visiting friends and family and have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our grandchildren.  One day whilst I was getting ready to travel to London for a business meeting, my 3-year old granddaughter asked where I was going.  I explained and she responded, “So are you going to be working like Daddy?”  “Yes” I replied.  “What does Daddy do at work?” I asked.  “Well”, she replied, “He does numbers, letters and drawing”.

I thought about what she said and of course when you boil it down, that is really what most business is about.  We manipulate numbers that turn into spreadsheets or financial reports; we arrange and organize letters into coherent sentences, paragraphs and logical arguments that inform our decision-making and we might add in a few pictures and visuals to help convey our messages.

If clarity is our goal, keeping things simple is important. We can become overloaded with information and our judgment can become clouded.  Innovation is sometimes driven by the need to do something in a simpler way, so by looking at a problem or challenge through the eyes of a child whose world is simple and uncluttered, might help us achieve the breakthrough we are looking for.

Of course, it was the last comment my granddaughter said that made me smile the most.  In addition to doing numbers, letters and drawing, according to our granddaughter, our son’s work also involved “cuddling teddies”!  What a lovely working environment that would be?

Manila

13 September 2013