Is 'Work Hard, Play Hard' Code for Destructive Behavior?
Back in the day, "work hard, play hard" was a common element of corporate culture, especially in the technology industry. Companies like Sun, Tandem, and Cyrix were known for Friday afternoon beer busts that helped to transcend boundaries between groups and management levels.
Oftentimes, groups of employees would hit happy hour to blow off steam and bond after an unusually tough day at work. Late night partying was also common at trade shows, conferences, and after customer meetings. And the popular mantra, "what goes on the road, stays on the road," helped to further a sense of comradery.
"Work hard, play hard" culture isn't exclusive to the high-tech world, either. It's an informal motto of numerous institutions including Princeton University and the U.S. Air Force. In fact, retired four-star general Colin Powell once said, "Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard."
But the controversial culture raises a number of pointed questions:
- Does it rationalize outrageous and destructive behavior like alcohol and drug abuse?
- Are executives really at their best the morning after a night of partying?
- Does it increase safety risks and quality concerns?
- Did MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) and lower DUI thresholds effectively kill it -- and is that a good thing?
The phrase [work hard, play hard] communicates the notion that we are intensely committed to doing what it takes to get the mission done, but we're not one-dimensional, mission-only people -- we approach off-duty endeavors with the same zest and passion we demonstrate on duty.I'm even beginning to wonder if "work hard, play hard" didn't play a role in the recent demise of General Stanley McChrystal. Clearly, the general and his staff let their guard down, and probably downed a few pitchers of beer, as well, with the reporter who wrote the now infamous Rolling Stone article "The Runaway General."The problem is that somewhere along the way, some folks started using "work hard, play hard" to rationalize clearly destructive behavior like alcohol misuse, illicit drug use, -- and failure to follow safety and injury prevention guidelines.
In other words, we began to believe that working hard entitled us to stretch the limits of acceptable behavior when we weren't working.
While the "work hard, play hard" mentality needs to change, it's a bit simplistic to blame destructive behavior on a phrase or motto. It's probably more accurate to point to the fact that the Air Force is a reflection of our society, and we do see an abundance of destructive behavior there --
Personally, I think the benefits of "work hard, play hard" within an organization - fostering team spirit and breaking down cross-functional and management level barriers - far outweigh the downside risks. That said, folks have to be mature enough to utilize the privilege responsibly. If not, then I think leaders should consider running their organizations Teddy Roosevelt's way, "When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."
That's my take. Now, what do you think? Is "work hard, play hard" alive and well out there? Should it be, or does the downside risk exceed the benefits?
Image CC 2.0 via Flickr