Are You in the Rescuing Business?

Abstract

Do you get a kick out of helping other people? Or do you seem to attract people in desperate need of rescuing? As some of us may have learned from hard experience, letting our own psychological and emotional hang-ups creep into our professional interactionscan spell disaster. Take for example, the following business scenario. Thomas had been with the company for over 20 years, the past five as CEO, and was proud of his track record. He really believed in developing his staff – he saw himself as a “people person,” eager to help others make the most of themselves. He’d made the company what it was today: a happy, effective, and successful place to work staffed by a contented workforce. Ironically, however, Thomas was probably the least contented of them all.