How Love Engages Employees

By Author: Ariel Brady
Total Articles: 245
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In the face of fear love turns away.
If you spent your day simply observing your work place what would you see?
What would people say to each other? Act? How would they be with each other?
Would love be present?
Or would your colleagues be...
acting in the best interest of themselves, rather than others and the business
being one thing to one person and someone else to another
milling around the coffee machine bitching, carping and sabotaging, ideas, new processes and plans
having inauthentic conversations with an inability to tell the truth; kindly, respectfully
micro-managaging and adopting command control leadership
lacking courage to make tough decisions and have difficult conversations
frequently taking time off or being late
needing to be right while making others wrong in their opinions and ideas
complying and staying quiet rather than speaking out
playing politics
saying one thing and doing another
paying no creed to the values
blaming, criticising and judging.
These behaviours manifest from fear. It is in us ...
... all.
At their best, these businesses do ok. At worst they fail.
And, all the while you're quietly dying inside.
If it weren't for the money and economic uncertainty, you would almost certainly have left this work you no longer loved.
Instead you fear leaving and justify for palatability. I know I've been there!
A recent Gallop poll found only 13% of people globally were engaged at work. On average, every disengaged employee produces 20% less.
As a manager, leader, investor is this what you want; disengaged employees and mediocre results? Of course not!
Long past the logical, analytical, means to an end, age of industrialisation, we're now in an age of connection, creativity and collaboration.
Things have changed. And, are changing. Rapidly.
People are hungry to contribute, derive meaning and purpose from their work. To innovate and engage emotion and intuition.
The smart and entrepreneurial companies are latching on to this shift.
They understand, anticipate and satisfy employees' innate and overt desires. In doing so, they attract and retain the best of the truly talented and aligned.
Netflix are a standout example of the potential power and success, when you have insight and courage to break away from traditional human resource policies and procedures.
This is what you'd experience working with Netflix...
you keep track of your leave
take time off as you feel necessary
are trusted to manage your expense account in the best interest of the company
have and give no formal performance reviews
never receive of deliver personal performance plans
get paid the market rate
encouraged to take calls from recruiters or the competition
stock options available, whatever your position
honest, heartfelt and collaborative performance conversations
if your skills were no longer required you received a generous severance pay.
This is love at work.
There is trust. Respect. Care. Honesty. Integrity. Courage. Collaboration. Creativity.
And it works...
Netflix are one of most successful and fastest growing businesses in the world. With the highest number of subscribers in the world they hit 44m last quarter with a turnover of $US1.18b and net profit of $US48b. Well ahead of forecasts!
You may not work in a business this size or be able to implement all or any of Netflix's ideas right now you can nevertheless...
dedicate your work to, being all you can be and, making your work a better place. The world a better place.
Align your thoughts and actions with love.
Observe the change. In you. In others.
We are all in need of love and belonging and that is no less so at work.
And, when fear comes to play, ask your self, 'what would love do?'
Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. John Watson 1903

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