In his speech at the recent SHRM annual conference, former CEO of General Electric Jack Welch stated that "there is no such things as work-life balance."
In the speech, Welch explained the choice men and women make to raise children while taking time form work and how this choice inevitably handicaps parents wishing to get a fast-paced executive position.
You can read more about his speech in the Wall Street Journal here and on the WSJ blog here.
Is work-life balance possible? Can working parents take time for family while still making it to the top of their organization? What can organizations do to make this possible? Should they?
From personal experience, I would have to agree. Life is a series of choices and sometimes sacrifices, particularly when it comes to having children. No one can be everything to everyone or have it all. That doesn't mean we can't be happy or that organizations shouldn't be supportive of families, etc. I think it comes down to knowing yourself (your limits, your dreams/desires, your goals) and surrounding yourself with supportive friends, family, coworkers/organization, and deciding what you want to accomplish and going for it. It may not happen all at the same time, but that's why we are each given a lifetime to work with.
Posted by: Noelle in Little Rock | August 24, 2009 at 01:57 PM