Good Intentions Are Never Enough
No-one in this room has bad intentions towards your family or friends. But good intentions are simply not enough. If I hit you with my tennis racket but my intention is to hit the ball you still have bruised eye cut lips and you still require a trip to A&E. In the physical world that is clear enough. But the same is true in the world of relationships. Good intentions even the desire of our hearts will never heal the damage left by our absence, our preoccupation or our misprioritization.
Those of you who have a faith - let me put it this way to you. It's no good praying to God and asking him to stand watch over your family while you give to a career what actually belongs to them.
Let's face it. One day we will all come back from our office, school hospital or workplace for the last time. No-body retires from his or her family to spend their final days in the workplace. Your last day may be 65 if pensions keep on working - or 35 when you are laid off. Ladies & Gentlemen loyalty is a word I have hardly ever heard from employers in 20 years of consulting. It is sad when a man or woman is forced out of an organisation they bled for, to return home to the family they neglected. Why do we so readily give our ultimate loyalty to an organisation where our value is conditional upon our ability. Why betray those whose loyalty is unconditional?