That’s how we do it
We had friends over the other night for some small bites and wine and conversation. It was an evening of warmth that came through in the food, the lighting, the music and the conversation. One of the topics that stayed with me was the subject of working styles. Academics are given job security, light loads, so that they can read, write, and think about their subjects – to always move towards in depth knowing. They become experts over time on the subject they pursue and over time, their words and thoughts on the subject ripple through the discourse already in play. The school bells ring and there is a sense of permanence, of building blocks being stacked in place – the presence marked by bound books and desks and chairs worn from use.
Fast forward to my industry where we operate like a newspaper with ongoing research sprinkled with fast breaking news, when we have an “a ha” moment it reverberates across the financial community and causes action and reaction. The time for thinking is now because the research you have gathered just came in seconds ago and there are only moments before you must discern, digest, distill and disseminate the information. By the end of the day, perched at the edge of your chair where you have been since you arrived – you push away from Instant Message, Skype, Email, Cell Phone, Land line – in a daze, a stupor, because alacrity has been your mantra since you dipped your toe off the edge of the bed that morning – seconds, minutes count – the opening bell rings on Wall Street as a reminder you are late, late, late out the gate.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:04 am
[…] an entry entitled “That’s How We Do It” I gave an erroneous picture of the academic life in modern times. The morning I wrote it, T said […]