With his book "Love Your Life, Not Your Job," Frank Behrendt has sparked many discussions. We spoke with the managing director of Serviceplan PR about digitalization, new thoughts on work, and his advice for maintaining a relaxed attitude.
Conducting an interview with Frank Behrendt, managing director of Serviceplan, is a very pleasant experience. The seasoned PR professional comes across as approachable and conveys a sense of relaxation in conversation that one might not necessarily expect from one of the most prominent figures in the agency world. Yet, after just a few moments, it feels completely natural.
Mr. Behrendt, how many hours do you currently work per day?
I don't really know. I don't keep track.(laughs) Probably ten.
Has this felt like more or less in recent years?
That's a good question. It probably feels like less due to increased efficiency.
Is work easier to manage today?
I have been in the workforce for many years now and have experienced different ways of working. I entered the workforce at a time when there were no smartphones and mobile computers. Back then, you were literally anchored to your desk and could only work in the office. Today, I can work much more flexibly – even in places like my son's basketball court, my daughter's ballet class, at home in the evenings, or when walking my dog along the Rhine riverbank. I often find that I come up with ideas and good thoughts much more quickly in a relaxed atmosphere than when sitting in front of a computer in the office. The way of working has changed due to flexibility and technology. Even if I continue working afterward, the feeling of sitting with my family at the dinner table at seven is very valuable to me, which I probably experience as leisure time above average. And I now take breaks differently – four times 15 minutes instead of one hour. These 15 minutes – without a smartphone – feel like four times 30 minutes to me. So, I feel like I have twice as long of a break as I actually do.
Do you have a typical daily routine?
No, but there are certain patterns that repeat. For me, these mainly come from the private sphere – such as the school drop-off times. When my two young children go to school at 8:10 am, my daily routine naturally revolves around these drop-off times. Just like when the children eventually finish school. These are the cornerstones around which my job revolves. For example, when I take the children to school, I book flights so that I can catch a flight at 9:30 am. But this also means that I generally schedule appointments differently today than I did before. In the end, it's a matter of coordination. You don't have to accept every appointment as it comes in. On the other hand, there are people on the other side, and you can talk to them. Then you can schedule appointments in a way that fits your life, rather than having your life fit the appointments.
That brings us to the topic. In your book "Love Your Life, Not Your Job," you advocate for a relaxed approach to the working world. How did you come to this?
Like many others, I fell into the trap of letting my professional life take over my life. I strained my then relationship, my family, and myself so much that I decided I wouldn't let that happen to me anymore. Then there was a personal change process. But, I have to say fairly, driven by a negative experience. I think someone wrote in the Handelsblatt once, "Mr. Behrendt sacrificed his first marriage on the altar of his career." That's not a bad description. In my late twenties – I was already in a position of responsibility relatively early – I saw and did things differently than I would today with hindsight. Today, I pass on my knowledge. Back then, I would have been grateful to have someone like Mr. Behrendt give me the book twenty years ago. I believe I would have done things differently.
How did you find the path to more serenity?
Naturally, I didn't feel particularly comfortable with my previous setup and the failure of my marriage, so I sat down with a coach. I would also recommend that to anyone else. Rarely do you get out of such problem situations by dealing with them alone or talking to good friends and partners. They are affected too. You need a neutral person to whom you can explain the situation. I sat down with Bertold Ulsamer on an alpine meadow. We spent one or two days away from everyday life, reflecting on life so far, expectations, mistakes, and what I would like to do differently. Then, with the help of the coach, I developed a master plan. The challenge is to actually execute it – in private life with the same consistency as you would in your professional life.
Was the whole process painful?
Yes, but in the end, very liberating. "No" is a magical word in this process. By saying "no," you simply do things differently and consciously seek new paths. This means canceling dinners and certain appointments. You don't have to attend every evening event. The world keeps turning anyway. I wouldn't say it was painful, but rather exhausting because you have to explain it to many people, you have to argue about it. Saying yes means not having problems, not facing resistance.
Did you face accusations that you are not cut out for agency work, not tough enough?
Not exactly like that, because I still produced reliable results. But I have always faced accusations, even now with the book and the theses, that I don't take work seriously because I talk about Monopoly for adults. Being a service provider means always being there. There are certainly different interpretations. And I believe that my attitude, my way of thinking and working, does not contradict the fact that I am still a highly professional service provider who delivers top performance as an agency person. Just in a rhythm that I determine. Being the conductor of my life doesn't mean I work less. I just take the freedom to define leisure time during the workday when it fits into my life. But of course, with such a bold thesis "Love your life, not your job," there were also accusations: "Behrendt doesn't love his job at all. Someone who doesn't love their job can't do it well." This just means that people didn't finish reading and understanding the book. But the title was also a provocation to boost sales. After all, I am a PR manager(laughs).
Do you think we have a problem in dealing with our jobs?
The problem is that many superiors and corporate structures have painted a certain picture of what a career should look like for many years. First, you have to work around the clock to eventually reap the rewards in old age. "Apprenticeship years are not gentlemen's years," was often said. This is a traditional role model that comes from a different time when achievement and work did lead to something. But today, it's not like you achieve something with non-performance and non-effort. However, today's generations have different expectations for their overall package of life and work. Of course, they want to have a meaningful job and earn money, but in return, they also want to spend equal parts of their time with friends and partners and participate in life. Personally, I believe, although I don't belong to Generation Y or Z, that you can do a good job and still participate in life. Of course, there will always be professions where you can't work as flexibly, but in normal business, where I operate, the way of working is no longer tied to a nine-to-six job but much more flexible. I believe I struck a nerve with my theses. People long for such models. My approach is certainly an encouragement to reflect on one's own status quo.
However, one can also see the possibilities of the digital revolution as a means to always be present in employees' lives and to keep work pressure high simply by being able to work and respond at any time, not just when sitting at a desk.
Yes, it's a double-edged sword. We can now organize working hours differently and work in places where we couldn't even think of before. On the other hand, this constant availability is something that you have to deal with. It's not about whether companies are forced not to send emails on weekends. Each individual – that's my plea – must make the decision for themselves when they are available and when they are not. Employers and employees simply need to communicate more. When can I do what? In the past, you weren't reachable when you were traveling on a plane. Today, there is Wi-Fi on planes. This means that the more reachable technology makes us, the more we have to be able to switch it off ourselves. At the end of the day, it's all about clear communication about when tasks need to be completed – and many tools in project management help us with that today. If you look at American companies like Zappos and others, they no longer have traditional leadership structures. People work with temporary project leaders in their workgroups and do their work when they see fit. As long as it's done on time. This is also how you can collaborate on international projects. There is a lot to learn from people in Silicon Valley. If you don't forget to participate in life, then you have this mix of life and work where digitalization is not
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