Bob Haase’s Another Can Of Worms

What’s In It For Me?

 

More and more today you hear people make the comment “What’s in it for me?” when making decisions.  That should maybe be one consideration, but it should not be the only consideration when making decisions.

 

When decisions are made at home there should be a lot of factors that are looked at.  It is important to consider how it will affect each person in the family and the family as a whole.  When we got married, my wife and I never considered our income as my money or her money, but rather our money.  Decisions on what we purchased were made together and we looked at how that purchase would affect both of us. Today I hear married couples talk about it being her money or my money and how it will affect me, not how it will affect us.

 

I think the question “What’s in it for me?” is also being asked too often where we work.  Managers and supervisors are making decisions based on how it will affect them rather than how it will affect the rest of the employees.  Just like a family, when people work together you can accomplish a lot more.  Managers are making decisions based on how it will affect the bottom line rather than how it will affect the people that work for them.  The reason for this is that their salary and bonuses are often based on the bottom line and not on other factors such how it will affect the company and employees overall. Both need to be considered if you are looking at the long term health of a company. 

 

I think some of our politicians are also asking a similar questions of not only “What’s in it for me?” but rather “What’s in it for our party?”.  They forget that they were elected to represent the people and not the party.  Just like in a marriage or a work environment, they need to look at the best interest of people and the long term effect on the people.  Decisions are being influenced by their contributors more than the majority of the people that elected them because of how it will affect them financially at election time rather than how it will affect the people.  Again it is “What’s in it for me?” when the votes are cast.

 

Today we have a higher percentage of failed marriages than ever before.  We also have a higher percentage of failed or failing companies with even many large companies and corporations having problems. Politically we have less trust and faith in our elected representatives than ever before.  Maybe it is time to consider all the factors when making decisions rather than “What’s in it for me?”

 

Bob Haase is the host of “Outdoors Thursday” heard Thursday mornings at 9:10 a.m. on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ.