A recent article from adage.com reports a trend that many workers are reluctant to take vacations, scared the boss will discover that he or she can do without them. A study last year by Universal Orlando Resort said about half of workers left vacation time on the table. That has led some employers, concerned about the health and productivity of their workers if they don't take time off to recharge, to add policies mandating that employees take at least a weeklong vacation.
One of our church pastors reminded me this week of a story leadership experts like to tell about a young lumberjack. He was hired on the spot after the boss saw him cut down a tree faster than any of his other workers. As the week wore on, however, the boss became less and less impressed and by Thursday, he told the young man to pick up his check. His services were no longer needed. The treecutter was stunned. He had worked harder than any of the other workers -- he took no breaks and couldn't understand why he wasn't appreciated. The boss, however, had watched the young man's productivity go from best to worst as the week wore on. When he heard the young man's defense of his work ethic, the boss asked an important question: "Did you stop to sharpen your saw?"
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