It only goes to show how entrenched  ‘early bird’ culture and values are that we are still asking this question. Because night owls naturally wake later than early birds, they are assumed to be lazy. This incorrect assumption then leads to another one – that night owls cannot be successful.

This theme is taken up in the July issue of the Harvard Business Review where a study by Christoph Randler, a professor from Heidelbeg, Germany, is reported. Though the study is relatively balanced, media still frames it as ‘Want to get ahead? Wake up with the birds.” (The Globe & Mail, July 24/10).

It seems it will take much more work like that of Jeanne Martinson (www.martrain.com) who frames the night owl/early bird issue in the workplace as one of accommodating diversity. In so doing, we take advantage of what both early birds and night owls have to offer. Even Prof. Randler concedes that he is a morning person and his colleague is a night owl but “we ar both equally as productive.” (G&M)

If you would like your workplace to more effectively accommodate both night owls and early birds, the presentation “Birds of a Different Feather at Work” can help you achieve this goal. More information is available at www.nightowlnet.com.