Not like us
How CEOs trick us into paying them more
They try to convince you that corporate CEOs deserve compensation at thousand multiples of average workers because of the value they add. Because of how hard they work. But do they really?
Years of observation tell me, while many c-suite executives can create value it’s not commensurate with their pay. Indeed, I believe the work they do is inflated to help justify their astronomical pay. To accomplish this, everyday chores and tasks are re-categorised into the “work” bucket.
Of course, when you re-categorise “life” as “work” being CEO seems like one hell of a grind. Sure, maybe some of those extra curricular activities are important to the role, but is that not true for the rest of us? What makes them so special? Why are CEOs worshipped and given tribute like gods when they’re just run-of-the-mill intelligent, hard workers?
Until now, the only evidence I had for this theory was observed long lunches, mid-day shopping and after-work “networking” at the bar. But now, we have a chronicle of a day-in-the life of Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren. An 18-hour day, they claim.
It begins with him waking at 4:30am - an impressive start.
Below, I categorised each activity within this 18hr day as either Work, Personal Development (PD), or Socialising.
Total Workday Duration: 17 hours, 15 minutes.
Work Activities: 5 hours, 13 minutes
Personal Development (PD): 5 hours, 45 minutes
Socialising & Family Time: 6 hours, 17 minutes
The CEO’s core work involved strategic duties, administrative review, and staff management. All important stuff, I suppose, but at just over 5hrs this is pretty close to a regular working day (come on, we all spend a couple hours a day fucking around at work).
60 minutes: Administrative work and gameday folder preparation.
5 minutes: Checking the Bears official app/gameday content (while driving).
50 minutes: Gameday Hero presentation and thanking staff.
20 minutes: Lapping the field to assess stadium conditions, connect with partners, and gauge energy.
113 minutes: Game analysis, watching, and taking notes on plays and execution (estimated 50% of the game time).
20 minutes: Postgame locker room congratulations and standing business meeting.
10 minutes: Reviewing game stats and news (while driving to dinner).
30 minutes: Work-related reflection and gratitude sharing during the family dinner.
So what about the remaining 12 hours?
The majority of the day was dedicated to activities that are either personal routines or networking/socialising:
1 hour, 10 minutes: Spiritual reflection, quiet time, and prayer (4:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m., 7:00 a.m. - 7:40 a.m.).
1 hour, 15 minutes: Exercising(7:40 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.).
1 hour, 40 minutes: Grooming, showering, and dressing for the game (9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.).
30 minutes: Personal errands/chores (car washing) and commute time.
6 hours, 17 minutes: Socialising, family time, and general interaction with guests (including parts of the commute, prayer with family, halftime with the Mayor, and nearly five hours of family dinner/watching football).
Add it all up, and we could all say we work 18hr days.
Not like us
This highlights a profound difference in how the executive class defines “work” compared to the general workforce.
For “us”, work is time spent performing assigned duties for pay (e.g., eight hours at a desk). Life includes gym time, spiritual practice, eating dinner, driving, or having friends over.
For “them” (the executive) many activities essential to personal well-being (like a 75-minute workout) are considered part of the job. Socialising and Networking are also considered parts of the job. A five-hour dinner with friends and family that includes checking in on the company app and discussing professional gratitude? Again, part of the job.
If the average employee were to adopt the same broad definition, counting all time spent commuting, exercising, checking work email at home, and socialisation, they too would quickly achieve “18-hour day” martyrdom.
What’s my point and why did I write this? The glamorisation of the CEO - by extolling undeserved virtues - is one more example of class warfare. The elites propagandise themselves as special to siphon resources from the 99% to the 1%, and we happily comply.
My name is Sarah and I run Collapse2050. It is a place for the collapse-aware community to learn, debate and connect.
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Thank you. Sarah
I'd rather worry about the politicians we "hire" at the ballot box who then spend their days working against our interests and courting rich friends. Their only "performance review" happens every 2, 4 or 6 years. Even then "firing" them at the ballot box is difficult because the system incentivizes them to make as many rich friends as possible during their tenure.
Here's an idea: let's start a co-op revolution which would cut the unnecessary fat from the bottom line. Imagine, workers hiring a "CEO" while also democratically deciding compensation for the position.