Will any of the following things ever happen again?

1. Laurie Meyer worked in communications in for Walgreens for 28 years, rising from Walgreen World editor to VP.

2. When she retired last month, her overworked staff found time to put out an eight-page, four-color special issue of Walgreen World: "Our Chief Storyteller Retires."

3. In a world of cheap LinkedIn remmendations, Laurie was lauded by 16 former colleagues, ex-CEOs, communication industry observers and longtime vendors.

The other day at lunch I told Laurie that I cried when I left Ragan Communications last year.

Most people laugh when I say that. Meyer nodded and told her own story about how utterly soul-connected one's relationship with one's employer could be.

And, in the minds of Laurie Meyer and me, should be.

Comments

[Joan H.]

You don't know how much I long for a job where I'd feel that connected. I thought maybe this new job would be that kind of place, but so far not so much. Maybe with time. I envy your tears.

[David Murray]

Well, I think you have to be pretty young when you start working someplace (Laurie was around 30 when she started at Walgreens and I was seven when I started at Ragan).

And I'm not sure I long for quite THAT kind of relationship either.

But as Laurie and I went on to discuss, people who care about the institutions they work for do better work and make for more cohesive institutions with beating hearts.

A society full of such institutions is a better place to live than a society where everybody's just working for the weekend.

Call it the Meyer & Murray Theory.

Does it hold water?

[Susan]

I'm fortunate that I have the same feeling for my current company. And, it's all about the people you work with everyday...it makes all the difference.

[mark ragan]

It was indeed a sad day at Ragan when you left. Believe me.

We still miss you and will for a long time.

--mark

[Diane]

A lot of companies seem structured to fight this sort of feeling, though, don't you think?

[David Murray]

Yes, Diane, they've been trying to fight this feeling since the late 1980s, when they canceled the unspoken contract between management and employees and glibly told employees to be their own free agents.

On the whole, it was a short-term move that's been difficult to un-make.

[Andrea S-R]

I felt that connected to my job, co-workers and company. Until they "eliminated my position" last month. Sigh. I can't imagine finding that again, especially in this economy. (I'm in Michigan - need I say more?)

[David Murray]

Very sorry to hear about that, Book Mama, and to read about it on your blog. I wish you good luck in finding meaningful work wherever it's to be had.