PositiveNewsCorner

Just as the old industrial world had, and the outmoded and uninformed companies of today have, a set of values and culture at the workplace that can be toxic for the home-place. In the old industrial world of USA and UK workers were referred to as “hands” rather than “individuals.” They would say, “We have hundred hands on the machine.” They were not accustomed to say, “There are fifty people present in the work area.” Manual labor and raw strength was the main commodity—not the quality of heart or mind of an individual. Now, the age of those “dinosaur” companies is headed towards extinction. Smart machines and robots are doing the heavy lifting. Intelligent, creative and out-of-the-box thinking people are now the most precious commodity. Outstanding leaders of today’s enlightened companies don’t merely “manage” employees; they are in fact “people growers.” They “grow” young dreamers into real life innovators and pioneers. People there are happy and proud of being there.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft who turned the company around in a very short time shared in a CNN interview that his mother would often say, “You can’t do your best work when you are waiting for the next thing to happen.” Don’t wait for anything. When you have learned how to be happy in the present moment, you become more productive and effective in whatever it is you take up to do.

The secret of Nadella’s Microsoft success is not the invention of a new technology or new mechanism but the rebirth of a culture. The culture is succinctly reflected in the company’s mission statement: “To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” WOW! A powerful altruistic mission such as this is bound to inspire multiple inventions, super technologies, creativity and yes, massive expansion and revenue growth.

A well- thought out inspirational mission with a vision becomes the great organizing principle for all actions that pave the path to success. A mission statement acts as the litmus test against which you can determine whether an action supports your mission or harms it. Do more of that supports your mission and dismiss actions that interfere with it.

You may fashion your own “Personal Mission” that captures the most important values you cherish and uphold. Here is an example: “I will provide a happy, healthy, positive and loving environment to my family which I will lead by personal example and help everyone including myself to grow to our highest potential.” Leading by personal example is the only way to lead and achieve success. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to bring about in the world.” Having formulated your personal mission statement, daily review your actions both at home and work. Ask yourself “Is this action of mine support or hurt my mission?”

We are arriving at the age where success or failure of a company will depend on such qualities as caring for one another, communication, empathy, emotional intelligence and similar other interpersonal skills. Some of the biggest companies of the world such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple incorporated from the very outset the above-mentioned qualities in their company culture. These companies are now reaping rewards of cultivating such a positive relationship culture.

Here is an observation you may find interesting:

Qualities that make a company happy and successful also make a family happy and successful!

Take home lesson: Find a way to be happy in the present moment and excel!