Understand, for my part, that I was the guy who would cut vacations short because a project was behind. Perhaps counter-intuitively, over time this seemed to c

Understand, for my part, that I was the guy who would cut vacations short because a project was behind. Perhaps counter-intuitively, over time this seemed to cause me trouble, perhaps in part because it did not "fit" the broader culture nor others' expectations. (People become "worried" when you do not do the expected, even when the expected is bailing on the project for the sake of your vacation.) I tried to be "the good employee". As often as not, it burned me. Eventually, I was very much so with individuals (sometimes, 15 minutes of my time could save them a couple of days), but tried to learn to be less that way in an undifferentiated fashion towards the institution in general. Many institutions become very rigid with regard to culture, expectations, and reciprocation. Essentially, eventually, they "train" their employees not to care. (Once again, it's what you do, not what you say -- again, speaking generally and not to you specifically.)