The way that business leaders define the human spirit is directly related to how they will treat the men and women they employ. A philosophy cannot rise any higher than the veracity of the epistemological foundation on which it stands. If our leaders’ definition does not rest upon a true, accurate epistemological foundation, leaders will believe that they are superior and try to dominate and control people. I have often said that fear is one of the most over-utilized and ineffective tools in a leader’s toolbox. If you don’t start with the true epistemological definition of who people are, you will never treat them with dignity, honor, and respect.
Here is the bottom line: wise business leaders who establish their organizations on the greatest, most truthful, and noblest foundation—that is, the truth about what it means to be human—will have provided every person in their organization with the very best platform from which to unleash their individual potential. This philosophical foundation will provide the gateway for their companies’ sustainable, profitable, competitive advantage. In addition, these visionary leaders will, by their example, contribute to protecting, and securing the sanctity, dignity, value, and freedom of every human being within their nation.
Leader, when you embrace this concept as one of the key drivers of your business success model, your organization will be forever transformed. You and your purpose partners will become evangelists for showing people that there is a more excellent way to humbly live our lives and joyfully engage in our vocation, all by recognizing and honoring the dignity, diversity, and immense value of our fellow man. We reject the impersonal moniker “employee” and embrace the concept of “purpose partners.” These partners are taught how to “make a life” driven by a cause bigger than themselves, and they will consistently outperform competitors who are merely being taught how to “make a living.” Those “employees” are driven by a car that takes them to a J.O.B. … and many of them believe this acronym stands for Joyless Organized Belittling!
It’s basic. The golden rule we all learned in elementary school. Treat others how you would want to be treated. Adapt to changing environments in the company from new management, employees, marketing campaigns, anything goes. But only people that are responsive to the human spirit can grow in such an environment. Transform your organization by paying attention to that competitive advantage and teaching your employees the truth about being human.