Why People Are People and Not Lions

Lions are very respectful animals. They must be to have earned the reputation as king of the jungle.

Why can’t we be more like the lion?

Instead, we are more like the Jackal, ruthless to the point of being untrustworthy – even when you’re being honest.

I’m always bitching and moaning about my current client – they are Jackals. They have learned how to play “the game” so that they can avoid work at all costs. However, someone like a lion – me for example – walk in and am instantly taken advantage of.

Why?

That’s what Jackals do.

I’m often the first person to come to the office and the last to leave. Why?

I try to the best job I can – I thought that’s what professionals do. Not the “professionals” at the office.

They come late and leave early – even if there is a big deadline that day. Last Friday, the training assistant left at 2:30pm for no reason, other than to avoid the workload that was suddenly thrust upon us.

It all comes back to that – sudden thrusts of work. There is no planning at the place I work at – none whatsoever. So when something does happen, it is always at the last minute and is always due right away.

So, I guess it is understandable that people come late and leave early – they know if they try to be honest and work a normal day, they’ll get caught up in the rush. And if you are caught up in the rush, you’ll be stuck working on something in a rush, putting in unpaid and unvalued overtime.

That’s the game at the office.

I choose not to partake in this game. I refuse to lower my standards just to avoid poor planning. I’m a lion not a Jackal.

Well, most of the time.