People are the Problem (and the point)

How much easier would driving be, without all the other cars on the road?

How much more enjoyable would going to the supermarket be, without all the other shoppers?

If you're an intolerant person under stress, you might be nodding your head vigorously. YES! You're screaming. That would be SO MUCH BETTER!

The same is true at work. Life would be a lot easier without our clients, bosses, colleagues and customers. We could just get on and do our job, without worrying about their problems, feelings, or presence.

Except... we wouldn't actually have a job, would we?

In Meetings that Matter, we have a meme: "People are the problem, but they're also the point."

It's catering to people's needs, fears, uncertainties and ambitions that make change difficult, but also - that's why we're changing in the first place. We're relational creatures, and most of the things we do only have value in that they serve others in some way.

So while life without people would be great, it'd probably be meaningless. Motivational? Probably not. But true.