Wednesday Wisdom - How to Talk to a Gen Xer

HOW TO TALK TO A GEN XER 

"Anyone born between the early 1960s and early 1980s is considered part of the Generation X cohort. Sandwiched between the Baby Boomers and Generation Y, they can often seem like the neglected middle child.

"The latest research for the "middle child" generation shows we're doing pretty darn well. We're described as innovators and disruptors who are both resilient and imaginative. Did you know that Gen Xers make up the highest percentage of startup founders at 55%?

"As with any middle child, we've learned to excel in the shadow of our older and younger siblings. Let them take the spotlight, we are happy to live our lives according to our own value system and definition of success."

Danielle Leonard

  

      

  

    

As a group, each American generation experiences the world in a way that's different from every other generation. Each generation grows up in a period of history that molds them and affects how they see the world. As a result, each generation views life differently and learns differently. Each has different styles in communicating and different expectations of how they want to be treated.  

When we understand these generational perspectives and generational communication styles, we can converse more effectively with each other. Not everyone is going to fit these stereotypes, but they are typical patterns and if you are aware of them you can learn to bridge the divide. This week we focus on Generation X.

 

* * * * *

Generation X is the demographic group following the Baby Boomers and preceding the Millennials. There are no precise dates for when Generation X starts or ends; demographers and researchers typically use birth years ranging from early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s. The term "Generation X" acquired its modern definition after the release of Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, a 1991 novel written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland.

As adolescents and young adults, they were dubbed the "MTV Generation," a reference to the music video channel of the same name. They also have the nickname the "Why Me Generation" due to their sometimes-nonchalant attitudes about life and work.

 

Certain historical events during their coming of age have made profound impressions on them. They were around when the AIDS epidemic struck the country. At first it was a mystery disease and no one seemed to know what was going on. But once it became better understood, it created an awareness that there were sometimes unintended consequences to our lifestyle choices.  

Many Gen Xers were also defined in large measure by the Challenger explosion. Up until that time there was a sense, similar to the era of the Titanic disaster many decades earlier, that our machines were invincible and we were smart enough to always make them work. But with the Challenger tragedy there was a sharp setback in that way of thinking. It shocked the nation, particularly those who were young and impressionable at that time.

 

In a similar way, the major stock market crash in 1987 caused a sharp pull-back from a hyper-confident rah-rah mentality about finances and economic progress. It could be a reason that, as a group, Gen Xers tend to be financially cautious and they tend to save more than their parents or the next generation after them.

This was the generation that also saw the fall of the Berlin wall. Seniors and Baby Boomers took it as a given that we would always have these two opposing blocs, but the Gen Xers saw the Soviet bloc fall apart, leaving the United States as the only superpower. Gen Xers also witnessed the first Gulf War when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the U.S. and a united set of allies pushed them out in an impressive display of military force.  

Gen Xers were children during a time of reduced adult supervision compared to previous generations, a result of increasing divorce rates, increasing maternal participation in the workforce, and limited availability of childcare options outside the home. They are often known as the "Latchkey Generation" because in many cases both parents were working and they were expected to tend to themselves. The television was often the babysitter. Many Gen Xers display an independent streak based on their common experience of coming home and being responsible for themselves for large chunks of the day. They tend to be more free agents than team players.  

Many saw their parents sacrifice personal and family priorities for their jobs, and as a result, their attitudes about work is that they work to live, rather than live to work. They are more controlling of their own personal time and they want their jobs to allow for an appropriate work/life balance. For them money is very often a means to an end.  

So how can we use this understanding to communicate more effectively with Gen Xers?

 

Writer Jean Sheid aptly described the imperative of recognizing generational differences in communication styles:

Communicating to people of all age groups is now a tool to master especially when you consider the four basic groups; Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and the Millennials, also known as Gen Y.

There's a difference between, "Sir I made a mistake," "Totally my fault," "My bad," and "Didn't you read my Tweet?" If you don't understand how to communicate with all ages, you'll find yourself lost - and fast.

Each of these age groups, though some of us find ourselves in more than one group, are markedly different including how they communicate with you and the world around them. Instead of attempting to communicate your way or the highway, consider how the communication styles of different generations can be used to create a better environment all around.  

In applying these principles to Gen Xers, it's important to understand that they aren't afraid of technology and most of them love new gadgets, even if it takes them a little longer than a Millennial to understand how it all works. They know and understand technology and want to use it. In fact, this was the first generation that is very media savvy. 82% of them expect you to communicate through media.  

Email is for many Gen Xers their preferred method of messaging. Communication is often short and to the point. They talk more in sound bites; long drawn-out conversations wouldn't be their strong suit. They demand individuality and they like multi-tasking.

Gen Xers like a straightforward approach. They strive for feedback and offer feedback in return. They are likely to tell you where they're coming from. They like managing their own time and solving their own problems. Remember, these are the latchkey kids; they very often travel alone and communicate that way as well.

A great phrase to communicate with them might be: "Tell me more about that." They want their opinions to be known. They want a sense of being honored. This is the generation that is always going to have something important to say.

Gen Xers like to be kept in the loop. If not kept informed, they can be offended and feel left out. Each of their days will include communication time with family or friends to ensure they are handling the work/life balance they desire.

Gen Xers may have lots of career interests and paths. Gen Xers often tend to think in "the grass is greener on the other side of the fence" mode, showing less allegiance to existing groups to which they belong and less respect for rigid hierarchal structures. If they don't like something, they are likely to let you know.

Next week: Generational Communication Styles - Part 4: The Millennial Generation

Wednesday Wisdom - GENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION STYLES Part 2

GENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION STYLES

Part 2:  The Baby Boomer Generation 

   

"The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn't the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility."  

John Lennon

  

      

  

 

As a group, each American generation experiences the world in a way that's different from every other generation. Each generation grows up in a period of history that molds them and affects how they see the world. As a result, each generation views life differently and learns differently. Each has different styles in communicating and different expectations of how they want to be treated.

 

When we understand these generational perspectives and generational communication styles, we can converse more effectively with each other. Not everyone is going to fit these stereotypes, but they are typical patterns and if you are aware of them you can learn to bridge the divide. This week we focus on the Baby Boomers, those born in the 15 years after World War II.

* * * * *

The Baby Boomers are the offspring of those soldiers coming back from World War II, all the folks who put their family plans on hold until things got back to normal. Until the Millennials came along, they were by far the largest generation ever to be born, so they tended by their sheer numbers to skew national demographics and trends. They've often been called the "Me Generation" or the "Woodstock Generation."

 

One of the major aspects of their early years was the advent of television. It's hard for those who are younger than the Boomer Generation to imagine a world without TV, but I remember the pre-TV era because our family was quite late in having one. I was about ten years old when we got our first TV, a hand-me-down from an uncle. It had only three channels, and it would only work for about 45 min before it would get too hot and turn itself off. There was often a struggle in our family to have it off, cooling down, before our favorite programs came on.

 

Television changed the way Baby Boomers experienced the world. It felt like they were all sharing the same events together. They all remember where they were when President Kennedy was assassinated and grieved collectively watching his funeral on television: the flag-draped casket on the caisson; John-John's salute; the eternal flame in Arlington National Cemetery. Those sad days were followed within a few years by Martin Luther King's assassination and Robert Kennedy's assassination. Television brought all the memorable moments of our lives into our living rooms. I was one of millions of Americans who were glued to the TV set for the Beatles' first concert on the Ed Sullivan show. Screaming girls and "yeah, yeah, yeah."

Popular music set the tone for a new generation that questioned the rules their parents lived by. By the time of Woodstock and the Summer of Love, it was clear that Boomers were going to dance - not march, as their elders did - to the beat of a different drummer.  

Because of the Cold War, young Boomers lived with a sense of constant peril. The space race was a big part of their lives - this intense competition between the Soviets and the United States. Every time America would do something, it seemed that the Russians would one-up us. But we eventually won the race to the moon and I clearly remember that Sunday evening when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon. "That's one small step for [a] man; one giant leap for mankind."

For many of the Boomer Generation, their most significant coming-of-age event was the Vietnam War. Unlike World War II, Vietnam was an ambiguous war that created a massive political and philosophical clash between the generations. Many of the generation that had lived through World War II believed the Vietnam War was necessary to halt the spread of communism, while much of the Baby Boomer generation seriously questioned the "righteousness" of the war and the way it was being waged. It seemed to them that the cost of the war was borne more heavily by our young men and not so much by the rest of the country.

   

Baby Boomers also came of age in the midst of the Civil Rights movement, the women's liberation movement, and the peace movement. Then the whole Watergate mess compounded the tension and division in the country caused by Vietnam.

 

Notwithstanding the influence of the peace, love and hippie movements and the political upheaval swirling around them, Baby Boomers grew up in a time of great economic optimism. After WWII the economy grew rapidly, technology and medicine brought vastly improved lifestyles, and progress in science, including space travel, created an aura in which anything seemed possible. Boomers believed that if you worked hard, you could live the American Dream. Boomers tend to work harder - or at least longer - than Millennials or Generation X, putting in punishing hours and working overtime to make their organizations and the world a better place. It is said that Boomers live to work, they seek advancement and status, they want respect, and they expect others to pay their dues.

 

Among many Boomers, money tended to be a sign of one's status - a reflection that you have worked hard and you've come to it by rights. They were the first generation to use credit cards in a substantial way. The idea that you could buy now and pay later is a boomer phenomenon.  

Once Boomers reached their prime parenting years, it was expected that most households would have two incomes. Stay at home moms were becoming a thing of the past, as many mothers went back to work once their children were in school. Boomer parents tended to have more income, but less time to spend with their children.

 

In an ironic twist, in their later years many Boomers still have children who have not yet left home and are also responsible for the care of their aging parents. Squeezed between two weighty sets of responsibilities, Boomer women understand personally the term "Sandwich Generation."  

So how can we use this understanding to communicate more effectively with Baby Boomers?

 

Generational communication preferences tend to be based on the technology the individuals were exposed to in their lifetime. According to Alan Kay, "Technology is anything that wasn't around when you were born." As technology advances, the more digital generations become and the more they embrace new communications methods. Boomers grew up speaking in person and on the telephone; many adopted e-mail mid-life, but most did not adopt more modern digital communication technology like Twitter and the like. As a result and speaking only in generalities, Baby Boomers tend to prefer face-to-face communication or phone conversations over e-mail, and e-mail over other technologies.  

Unlike later generations. Baby Boomers tend to have sharper boundaries between work and the rest of their lives. They may stay at work longer, but when they're off, they're off and they don't maintain a perpetual electronic tether to their desks. Thus, if a coworker needs to communicate after business hours, Boomers prefer to receive an e-mail which they can retrieve on their own schedule, unless the matter is very urgent, in which case they prefer the telephone.

Boomers are the busy generation. They thought life had to be lived in a hurry and this affects their communication styles. Consequently, they don't have time for lengthy communication; they like you to answer their questions and get to the point.

 

They are also impatient with being told what to do. The best way to present an issue to them is to show them their options, ask them for their opinions, and then let them decide how best to move forward. Don't even think of giving them a direct order.

Boomers tend to work more on a communal or teamwork basis as opposed to a command and control model more typical of their World War II Generation parents. They are inclined to speak much more openly and directly than their parents. They seldom felt they had to pull any punches, and they still believe that.

Many in the Boomer Generation believe that they have the answers, so they like to hear things like, "You are absolutely right." They like being appreciated for putting in the time required to do a great job. They believe that they've figured out the world better than their parents and better than their children, and so they like to be respected as the ones who found a better way.

Next week: Generational Communication Styles - Part 3: The Generation X Generation

Wednesday Wisdom - GENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION STYLES Part 1

GENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION STYLES

Part 1:  The World War II Generation 

   

"The Greatest Generation came through some stuff that we can't even imagine - the Depression, World War II - and all they wanted after that was a breather and a calm and a quiet life. Instead they get us."

P. J. O'Rourke

  

      

  

As a group, each American generation experiences the world in a different way than every other generation. Each generation grows up in a period of history that molds them and affects how they see the world. As a result, each generation views life differently and learns differently. Each has different styles in communicating and different expectations of how they want to be treated. When we understand these generational perspectives and generational communication styles, we can converse more effectively with each other.  

This article is about how to improve communications with what I call "The World War II Generation," those who lived through the Depression and World War II. Tom Brokaw defined them as "The Greatest Generation." In future articles I will look at Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials.  

The World War II Generation tends to be traditional in their approach. They were shaped by major world events as they were coming of age. It was an astounding thing to the older members of this group when Charles Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean: "now we have escaped the bonds of earth."  

This generation lived through hard times. The older ones were familiar with the crash of Wall Street in 1929. Those who didn't experience it personally lived through the Great Depression that followed. Their Depression experiences shaped the way they feel about money. For them money is to be used wisely and cautiously. "You put it away, you save for a rainy day, you pay cash. You realize that it could be in short supply, so you are careful with every penny."

 

The attack on Pearl Harbor was in many cases the key defining moment of their formative years. It happened as most of them were in their teenage or early adult years, so they confronted all the experiences of World War II: the fear, the uncertainty, rationing, going off to war, and perhaps seeing their fathers and brothers called to serve. They are loyal and patriotic; they deeply believe in our country. The war they fought was a war between good and evil, between right and wrong. There were no ambiguities in their world.

 

Because they were strongly attached to the military, and because in that time most everybody was strongly aligned with their church, they tend to have a great sense of veneration for authority. They took orders from those in charge, and were comfortable giving orders when they were in charge.

 

So how can we use this understanding to communicate more effectively with the World War II generation?

 

When it comes to communication styles, this crowd tends to be more comfortable with formal, written communication and with face to face dialogue. Communication via modern technology is an alien, unnatural experience for most of them.  

They expect to be treated with respect because that was how they treated their elders. They come to trust you only as you earn their trust. They tend to be less sharing of their feelings, particularly men. Many personify the strong, silent, John Wayne type.

 

They also feel that it's important to pay your dues, that the young whippersnappers need to wait their turn. They believe your word is your bond and they don't want you to waste their time. If there is a phrase that encapsulates how you might want to address them, it is: "We respect your experience. We honor what you've done."

 

As they age, they strive to maintain their independence and they work at determining what will be their legacy - what mark they will leave on the world. Any communication with them should reinforce their sense of self-determination and should help them recognize what a difference they have made, both individually and as a group. It will serve us well to remember who they are and what they've accomplished.

Next week: Generational Communication Styles - Part 2: The Baby Boomer Generation

Wednesday Wisdom - Resilience in the Storm

RESILIENCE IN THE STORM 

   

"The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,

Who never had to win his share

Of sun and sky and light and air,

Never became a manly man

But lived and died as he began."

Douglas Malloch

  

      

  

 

To become a strong and healthy adult, a butterfly must force its way out of its cocoon. The exertion required to free itself gives it the strength to spread its wings and fly. If a well-meaning observer decides to intervene and "help" the butterfly break free of the cocoon, this will unwittingly cripple it and destroy its ability to survive.

Similar principles apply to young humans.

The late Leo Buscaglia, internationally acclaimed author and lecturer, used to tell the story of how, when he came of age, he went to study philosophy at a Paris university.  

 

His mother gave him his entire stipend for the year in one lump sum. When he arrived in Paris with a rather large chunk of money, he used it to party and buy wine for many newfound "friends" who had shown up quickly. In short order, however, his money - and his friends - were all gone.

 

When Buscaglia finally "came to himself," he had just enough funds to send an urgent three-word telegram to his mother back in the United States:

"Mama: Starving! Leo."

The next day he received her three-word reply:

"Leo: Starve! Mama."

Leo later said it was the most important lesson of his life. He learned that actions have consequences. He learned that even in a mess of his own making, he could discover within himself resolve and resilience and resourcefulness he didn't know he had. He learned that he could do hard things.

His mother later said it was the most difficult lesson she ever taught, but she knew if she didn't, her son might never grow up.

Wise parents and grandparents, like Leo's mother, understand that growth comes from facing and fighting through adversity. Helen Keller said it this way: "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

Sometimes we see our young butterfly of a teenager or young adult child or grandchild struggling to break out of their cocoon, and we think it would be kind for us to "just give them some help." Sadly, too much "help" and too much "kindness" may cripple them for life.  

Sometimes, as hard as it may be, we simply must take a deep breath, step back, and let them work out things for themselves.

And guess what? They usually do.

Wednesday Wisdom - Trees and Hurricanes

TREES AND HURRICANES 

"I'm planting a tree to teach me to gather strength from my deepest roots." Andrea Koehle Jones

   

The Orlando area suffered serious damage in Hurricane Irma, but was largely spared the total devastation of South Florida and the terrible flooding of North Florida. Most of our losses in Central Florida were caused by falling trees. For example, a client couple in southeast Orlando lost their home when a large tree in their yard collapsed during the storm and smashed through their roof, as shown in this picture from a special Orlando Sentinel supplemental section.

      

  

But the losses of trees in the area were spotty. We didn't lose whole forests in the storm; only an occasional tree here and there. So why did some trees fall while others stood tall?  

To the casual observer, it would seem almost arbitrary which trees held up and which trees were toppled over by the hurricane. But it was not random at all. A closer investigation would show that some trees had shallow roots, or rotten trunks, or asymmetrical, unbalanced limb patterns, or were in poor soil. There was in nearly every case some deeper underlying trait that made certain trees susceptible to the pressures of the storm.

 

In a similar way, I have observed that certain individuals stand strong and resilient when buffeted by the inevitable headwinds of life. They emerge from these storms tempered and strengthened by adversity. By contrast, another group of people who face similar challenges are unable to withstand the difficulties they encounter, and eventually they buckle under the weight.  

A closer examination revealed that the decisive difference between these two groups was their willingness in their younger years to confront adversity. The first group took on the problems and obstacles that came their way, whereas the second sought to avoid or sidestep difficulties. By fighting through their challenges, the first group gained competence and confidence in facing the hardships of life, while the second group, seeking to merely slide by, missed those growth opportunities.  

The first group learned they can do hard things, which is perhaps one of the most valuable lessons in life.

This quality of character - the capacity to face trouble head-on - changes everything about the person and the trajectory of their life.   It assures that when the winds blow and the tempests rage, they will still be standing. This idea is aptly described in one of my all-time favorite poems, Good Timber, by Douglas Malloch:

The tree that never had to fight

For sun and sky and air and light,

But stood out in the open plain

And always got its share of rain,

Never became a forest king

But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,

Who never had to win his share

Of sun and sky and light and air,

Never became a manly man

But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease:

The stronger wind, the stronger trees;

The further sky, the greater length;

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth,

We find the patriarchs of both.

And they hold counsel with the stars

Whose broken branches show the scars

Of many winds and much of strife.

This is the common law of life.

As parents and grandparents, our natural tendency is to shelter our teenagers and young adults from the hard times that come their way. A Native American saying warns us against giving in to this impulse: "What you protect, you make weak."

It's a lesson that's hard to learn and even harder to apply, especially when it relates to those we love. But if we don't do so, they unfortunately may never grow up, or may grow up crippled and unable to cope with life and its challenges.

Wednesday Wisdom - Hurricane Irma: I Hate the Wait

HURRICANE IRMA:  I HATE THE WAIT

"The waiting is the hardest part

Every day you see one more card

You take it on faith, you take it to the heart

The waiting is the hardest part."

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

  

      

  

[Note: Hurricanes are deadly serious, and the destruction they cause is painfully real. We've been in a tense and stressful situation here in Florida because of Hurricane Irma. One way to diffuse tension and stress is through humor. Here's a tongue-in-cheek critique of some of our Floridian hurricane preparation patterns, with the hope that this might lighten the mood for those who've been under the gun lately.]

I am in awe of the amazing weather and satellite technology that predicts days and weeks in advance where a tropical storm like Hurricane Irma may be headed. That early warning system is a good thing. It can reduce the damage from a bad storm. However, believe it or not, it is possible to have TOO MUCH TIME TO PREPARE.  

In the case of Irma, the news media started projecting a full 10 days before her arrival that "the biggest hurricane on record" was going to smash the entire state of Florida to smithereens. "We don't know exactly where it's headed but if you're in Florida, it's coming after you, so you better start getting ready NOW!"  

At that moment, coming on the heels of Hurricane Harvey and Houston, a large chunk of the populace panicked. The race for hurricane supplies was on! Whole grocery stores were swept clean in a matter of hours, even though the storm was still on the other side of the British Virgin Islands. It wasn't just the nervous newbies. Even experienced hurricane veterans, who should have known better, got sucked into the melee. The whole scene was so unseemly.

So, what's wrong with having too much time to prepare? Here's what:

1.  With too much time to prepare, real life shuts down way too soon.

A full week before the first rain cloud was on the horizon, you stop focusing on work, cancel all your meetings and appointments, and become fixated on the hurricane. Normal life screeches to a halt. Seven days! Come on, folks, other than fighting two or three hours for bottled water at Wal-Mart or standing in line half a day trying to get the last few sheets of plywood at Home Depot, how could you possibly take more than a day to get ready?

2. With too much time to prepare, you end up spending a fortune at the grocery store.  

First, you buy up stacks of staples like bread and tuna fish and other storm-proof stuff you'll never eat. And of course, hurricane snacks. You tell yourself you must keep up your family's morale during the storm. Then the next day, you go back because you "forgot a few things." You buy all the things on your list, plus - of course - more hurricane snacks, because "this looks like it's going to be a bad one."  

You tell yourself this is your last grocery run, but then the next day you find yourself back at the store again. And the next day after that. Finally, mercifully, Publix locks their doors so their employees can get ready for the storm, and you are forced to stop worrying about how to pick up "just one more thing." Unless the local 7-11 or Wa-Wa is still open . . . .

3.  With too much time to prepare, you blow your emergency meal plan completely out of the water.

Once you've cancelled all your meetings and your house is bolted in place for THE BIG ONE, there's nothing else to do but hunker down behind all that plywood and start binge-watching the Weather Channel and Channel 9's Senior Meteorologist Tom Terry. You can't afford to miss a single twist or turn of the approaching hurricane. The stress of watching the constantly-shifting spaghetti lines of possible tracks causes you to start raiding your cache of hurricane snacks early. Not good! You gain 10 pounds in the three days before the storm.

 

Then when Irma finally does arrive, you discover your stash of snacks is all but gone and all the stores are closed. You have nothing left to snack on except months-old Saltine crackers and raisins. You bought $300 worth of junk food and it's all gone before Irma even gets here? How is that even possible? You're forced to try to stomach that canned tuna fish.

4. With too much time to prepare, a two-day event takes a whole week out of your life.

And that's all before the first outer rain bands even approach your fair city. The waiting and worrying can seem far worse than the storm itself. Heaven help you if you have storm damage and are forced to deal with clean-up and reconstruction. There goes another week or two or three.

So next time, all you brave folks at the Weather Channel who get paid to stand out in 100 mile-per-hour winds to show us how bad the storm is, please wait to sound the alarm until the hurricane is somewhere off the coast of Cuba. We'll still be ready in plenty of time. We just won't have to suffer the agony of waiting. Because, to quote fellow Floridian Tom Petty, the waiting is the hardest part. 

Wednesday Wisdom - Celebrating Hard Work, Part 2

CELEBRATING HARD WORK, Part 2          

    

"If you really desire greatness, you should make up your mind to be a hard worker."

Sunday Adelaja

     

      

Who says life doesn't have a sense of humor? Right in the middle of my trying to write two articles about the virtue of hard work, I've been forced to do absolutely nothing for a week. Here's what happened:

Ten days ago, I ruptured some blood vessels in my left eye while lifting and spreading bags of Black Cow in my backyard garden. That required retinal surgery to repair the damage. After that, a week of forced rest.

A colleague suggested my injured eye would be a great excuse for taking it easy for several months. I told him that would be pure torture for me. I'm not built to lie around and do nothing. I see work as a blessing, not a curse. Work opens doors and creates breaks many people never notice. "The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work." Thomas A. Edison

There are two sides of successful work: working harder and working smarter. If you were to ask, "which is more important, to work harder or to work smarter?" I would say the correct answer is "Yes."

No, I'm not being cute. Hard work and smart work go together, hand in glove, for increased productivity. One without the other is like trying to wash one hand by itself, or like hopping around on one leg instead of running on two.  

You can work as hard as an ox, but if you're not smart about it, all your work may be wasted effort. Harder but not smarter is like butting your head against a wall or pounding sand - lots of exertion but no results. Harder but not smarter may just send you off in the wrong direction - lots of movement but no progress.

The inverse can be just as bad. Being smart about your work but not putting in the time and effort to push it forward is self-deceptive silliness-it's not very smart after all and it ultimately gets you nowhere. Working smarter but not harder projects an attitude of smugness and entitlement, and will put off others who might be inclined to join with you.  

So I'm happy to report my eye is recuperating nicely and I'm back in the saddle, trying to work both harder and smarter. I like to go to work every morning, and I love how I feel at night after working hard all day. I agree with George Bernard Shaw when he said: "I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live."