About the blog: Average person in the developed world spends most of his or her waking life working.  Yet eight out of ten people report to feel disengaged at what they do. Lack of freedom is at the top of a culprit list.  Things have been changing though. First there was Mondragon of Spain, then Brazilian Semco, now there is American Zappos and a crowd of other companies that just quit telling their people what to do. Instead they try to build a culture that allows its people to self-direct and do what they love. Freedom at work is becoming one of the powerful corporate trends that is changing the way we do business.  This blog hopes to add to the trend – insights, stories, metaphors, videos. English is not native language, so don’t be too harsh on me.

Tomas Hajzler (*05/71) – Until the age of thirty I tried to climb up the ladder of success. First I went to numerous schools (in Belarus, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Holland and the USA. Earned some “impressive” degrees :-) on the way. Then I tried to climb a corporate hierarchy at Sara Lee, Rieber & Søn and finally at GE. Until one morning (2001) I went to a doctor. After a series of tests he diagnosed me with a “Burn out Syndrome” and suggested I do some radical changes to my life. So I did. Since then I have been researching the world of work trying to find out why we try to build a career instead of just doing what we love. As a recovered workaholic who lived under both dictatorships as well as democracy I am particularly attracted to an idea of Freedom at work. I lead seminars, write blogs PeopleComm. Recently I started publishing books. I also speak on workplace freedom at universities and conferences. I live with my wife Petra and two daughters Valerie and Valentyna in Prague, the Czech republic. More about myself: Confessions From the Rat Race or Eleven Books that Changed My Life.

Get in touch! I would love to get your comments, hear new stories or perhaps answer your questions. I also would love to come and speak on freedom and passion at work. Follow me on LinkedIn or Twitter.