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Hello and welcome to Working It. I’m Emma Jacobs, and I’m filling in for Isabel this week. 🤓 Are you feeling the back-to-school vibes? Even before I had kids, I used to get excited at this time of year. Advertisements for new pencil cases, heralding the start of the academic year, had an energizing and nostalgic effect on me (helped, of course, by a new pair of autumn boots). Traditionally, this time of year has been seen as a chance to embark on new projects.
This year, however, the stress and exhaustion of summer has left me feeling far from recharged for the return to September. I can’t be the only one feeling this way. Countless B-team members will have been working tirelessly over the summer, covering for their bosses (which we’ll discuss in a column below). Or perhaps you’re a parent who has been juggling patchwork childcare during the holidays while also working? If that’s the case, I recommend taking a day off in the middle of the working week—a mini-break for one. I might even take my own advice.
Regardless of your energy levels, I hope you’ll find something in this newsletter to pique your interest. Thanks for reading!
Inside the Mind of a Tortured Genius
Readers were treated to an early release this week when the Weekend’s Lunch with the FT interview with Walter Isaacson was published on Monday. Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk has sparked quite a stir, and in the interview, he argues that Musk’s “demons are also his inspirational angels.” Isaacson suggests that Musk’s dark side, with its manic mood swings, deep depressions, and risk-seeking highs, is responsible for his remarkable success. The biographer attributes Musk’s pain-filled childhood, which included a difficult relationship with his father and growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, as the source of his drive.
Isaacson embraces the idea that genius is often tied to a person’s flaws as much as their merits. In her review of the biography, Rana Foroohar references Steve Jobs (who was the subject of another of Isaacson’s books) and his belief that “the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who do.”
Whenever I read about these types of individuals—entrepreneurs, politicians, artists—a certain annoyance washes over me. Firstly, they tend to be predominantly male. There is far less tolerance for aggressive or impulsive behavior in women. The mythology surrounding these figures too often excuses their poor conduct in the workplace, all in the name of genius. For every successful and explosive entrepreneur, there are countless wannabes acting like jerks.
Determining which character flaws are permissible and which ones we should tolerate in pursuit of a greater goal is subjective. As pointed out by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic in his book “Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (And How to Fix It),” traits like overconfidence and self-centeredness, which are often seen as star qualities, should actually be red flags. Furthermore, the impact these individuals have on those around them should not be overlooked. A genius prone to fits of rage or impulsive decision-making can burden their staff, leading to high turnover and demotivation.
The darkness in Musk’s upbringing is far from uncommon. The more people I interview throughout my career, the more I realize just how messy and complicated life can be.
But the more we learn about these tortured geniuses, the more we can understand the underlying issues. Craig Wright, author of “The Hidden Habits of Genius: Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit—Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness,” highlighted this during a course on genius at Yale. At the beginning of the course, he asked students how many of them would like to be a genius. Three-quarters of the class raised their hands. However, by the end of the course, only about a quarter still expressed the desire. One student explained, “At the beginning of the course, I thought I did, but now I’m not so sure. So many of them seem like obsessive, self-centered jerks.”
This Week on the Working It Podcast
We had a full house for our panel discussion on “Mid-life Career Change: From Profit to Purpose?” at the FT Weekend Festival earlier this month. Catch up on the best moments from the conversation with our Working It podcast episode, expertly crafted by our producer Mischa Frankl-Duval. The panel featured career-changer Ana Baillie, a former professional and financial services lawyer who is now training to become a midwife. Her inspiring personal story was complemented by insights from experts Camilla Cavendish, FT columnist and author of “Extra Time: Ten Lessons for an Ageing World,” and Jan Hall, founder of the leadership consultancy Number Four and co-author of “Changing Gear,” a book for individuals going through career and life transitions. We also had some excellent questions from the audience, including one from someone who became a teacher through our former colleague Lucy Kellaway’s Now Teach scheme. It’s definitely worth a listen. Let us know what you think!
Office Therapy
Problem: My workplace recently underwent an office reorganization, and I was moved to a different area. As a result, I lost my lovely desk with a view and natural light. I’m furious about it, but there’s nothing I can do. My husband thinks I’m overreacting. What’s your advice?
Emma’s response: I can personally relate to your situation—I also got moved up a whole floor during the recent London office reshuffle at the FT. A great deal of effort goes into orchestrating such a complex undertaking. Office managers try their best to accommodate as many employees as possible, but inevitably, some people will be disappointed. In this age of hot-desking, having an actual desk is already a win.
I asked my former desk mate, Michael Skapinker, an FT contributing editor and career counselor, for his thoughts: “Of course you’re upset,” he says. “You had a sun-filled workspace with a lovely view. Now you’ve lost it. It’s like when, as a child, your parents suddenly move you from your bright and cheerful room into a small and gloomy one. But here’s the difference: your parents loved you, or at least we hope so. Your organization, regardless of its HR rhetoric, doesn’t love you. Its primary goal is to further its own interests and secure its future. It’s nothing personal—just business.”
Skapinker also points out that in the hybrid working world, “you may need this new desk less than you think.”
Do you have a question, problem, or dilemma for Office Therapy? Do you think you have better advice for our readers? Send it to me at [email protected]. We keep everything anonymous, so your boss, colleagues, or subordinates will never know.
Five Top Stories from the World of Work
1. Employers and staff seek truce on office working: Elon Musk is known for his strong views against remote working, so it might be irksome for him to learn that most employers are opting for a hybrid approach—a compromise with employees. Andrew Hill and I explore how this policy is evolving in workplaces around the world.
2. Look out when the B-team is left in charge: I hesitated about including Pilita Clark’s column in this week’s newsletter. After all, I’m filling in, and I hope I don’t mess things up too much. (Feel free not to point it out if I do!)
3. Experiments are key for more mature industrial relations: In this article, Sarah O’Connor examines the UK opposition party Labour’s plans to introduce sectorial collective bargaining—a system common in continental Europe but a major departure from how the UK currently operates.
4. US accountants: higher pay is the solution, not lower standards: The FT’s Lex column delves into the shortage of accountants in the US. The scarcity is so severe that there is increasing pressure to lower educational requirements for becoming a certified public accountant. But that alone won’t be enough to attract more recruits.
5. “The Other Black Girl” TV review: I thoroughly enjoyed Zakiya Dalila Harris’ novel on race within the publishing industry and can’t wait for the television series adaptation of this workplace satire-meets-mystery thriller. Of course, I’ll also be keeping an eye on “The Morning Show,” which will be vying for my attention as well.
One Last Thing…
I can’t stop thinking about Celine Song’s film “Past Lives,” which explores the journeys of two South Korean…
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