The sign of a great job: I'd do it for free

My CEO is fond of saying that he'd do 70% of his job for free. That's how much he loves it. And he sees no point in doing any job unless you're that excited about it. He figures he gets paid for the other 30%, which is inevitably the unpleasant stuff you have to put up with.

While I'm not sure I've hit the 70/30 ratio, this week certainly reminds me of what a great job I have the privilege of doing.

We're out in Cannes at Gartner IT Expo, the biggest annual gathering of IT industry executives in Europe. And believe me, there are few better places to go on business in November. Even if you spend the majority of your day on the trade show floor in a windowless basement, as we do, the walk along the Mediterranean on the way to work is one hell of a way to start things off. I'm surrounded by colleagues I respect and, even better, really like. We've delivered to a standard of quality that, thanks to 25 years in marketing, I know is absolutely best of breed. That makes you happy. Even better, we've laid the groundwork for a series of great conversations with customers. And despite the geeky industry reputation, a lot of these people are actually seriously entertaining to hang out with ... especially when you're picking up the bar tab.

My most extreme "I can't believe I get paid for this" moment came at our dinner for senior customers, when I got to share my meal with, then interview, Lawrence Dallaglio. (See www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTD2fl5En_Q for an excerpt.) The world cup winning rugby star and former captain of the England team was the lure that got more customers to our dinner than in any previous years. My brief was to keep the man entertained, make sure he talked to lots of customers, then get him up on stage to do a chat show style interview in front of the whole audience after dinner.

I was a bit worried at the start of the evening. I know little about rugby and I worried that the small talk was running out. But I shouldn't have stressed. Dallaglio is of Italian stock, which opened two easy conversational doors: Catholic school and food. By the main course I was thinking that this was one of the most entertaining dinner conversations I'd ever had, and completely forgetting the fact that he was famous. One of the endearing things about Dallaglio, in fact, is that he doesn't live in his rugby past. He does the guest appearance and sports commentary thing where it makes sense (after all, he's got three kids to put through university), but he's moved on to other businesses, does lots of charity work and seems all about looking forward, rather than trading on glory days.

And then it was up on stage, for the ultimate work for free moment. There I am getting to do what I love most ... showing off my interview skills while getting fine stories out of interesting people. And I'm doing it in front of a friendly audience, on a stage in a private dining room in the Carlton Hotel in Cannes, one of the most prestigious hotels in the world. A belle epoch glass dome crowns the room, waiters flit elegantly between tables to fill glasses and the glass walls overlook the sea, where the lights of the super yachts glimmer on the horizon. Could I ever have imagined, when slaving away for that journalism degree back at Northwestern, that work could be this good? I certainly had some fantasies about fame and fortune, but they never led me to this delightful interlude of good friends, fine hotels and entertaining rugby stars in the south of France.

And I actually get paid for doing this! Something I must remember when I get back to London and return to a bunch of stuff within the unpleasant percentage. (Which I fear is a bit bigger than my CEO's 30.) But before that happens, I'm off to spend some of that salary. Seems a shame to hurry home when you're on the cote d'azur and the weekend is coming, after all.