Please! Less Rules but More Purpose

Every day I go into the world of work I hope that I will find that elusive something that I am looking for. That something special, intriguing beautiful and liberating. What I however find, all too frequently, is something that is life-sapping and disappointing.

I find a labyrinth of rules, procedure, politics and drama. We are caught in this fantastical illusion of freedom and security whilst we are unknowingly being lulled into a paradigm where we willingly follow rules at the expense of our greatest human expression of creativity and love.

Those who make the rules normally have no incentive to change their ways because they are in control. It will most likely take another generation to see a transformed business horison that catalyses the human spirit to reach heights and depths never seen before. Inside we yearn for this new world that we do not even understand yet. We just know that what we are experiencing now is just not enough.

Especially the newer generation simply do not accept things for what they are. I sometimes feel like I am quite alone in the way that I see the world. I am told fairly frequently that I need to accept the way things are and be more patient. I agree that change will take time but I do not believe that I need to be patient in expressing, motivating, raising awareness and inspiring a world that has much more purpose centered on transcendental truths so that we can reach beyond ourselves to a world that is filled with peaceful purpose. A world that turns us away from our own internal ego-driven obsession and towards a community centered self-actualisation reality.

Yes, I am unrealistic and I live for what is to come. I hope more people will start to open their eyes to a world where we use authority, control and power for their appropriate purposes detached from fear. I work towards a world that inspires trust, openness, learning, growth and beauty. I believe in businesses that not only have a purpose to help transform our society by putting the society before profits but I also believe in a business that puts their own people before profit.

So I ask all of us why are we doing whatever we are doing today?! We need more leaders at all levels to be asking this question and if the answer is not a clear indication that the organisation has the greater good at heart I respectfully request that you reconsider.

Stop giving people rules in order to follow your egotistical vision and rather empower, devolve, decentralise and inspire. Your future and the future of our children depend on the way we organise and lead because business is one of the greatest drivers of change in society.  Please!  Less rules and more purpose.

Change Is Not Really Happening That Fast

The buzz in the business world is all about how complex things are and, specifically, how fast everything is changing.  If you are a leader in business you need to be so smart and adapt so quickly...  That is such a load of bull.  Yes, things are changing quickly, or at least there are greater possibilities, choices and options available right now.

What I find in businesses is that in general business leaders aren't really changing.  Right now I can think of at least six leaders and business models that are based on old thinking.  I understand that actual change really takes time.  Media and the status-quo would lead us to believe that everything is changing so fast.  In reality I see these powers that be as the ones changing the slowest.  It is in their best interest to keep things as it is.  Take the latest Robin Hood film starring Russell Crowe:  Just when it looks like true change will come after generations of hierarchical, unjustified, autocratic exploitation by a leader over the people things simply remain the same - the leader has seen how beneficial a system of dominance is in his favour.  "Why change it, it works for me?"

The same thing is happening in organisations globally.  Truly transformational models of business have emerged in the early 1980's in South America (here I refer to Semco) as well as earlier than that on other continents (the Tata group of companies come to mind) but it has been isolated.  My question is why hasn't it happened more?  Why hasn't this truly transformational business models been occurring much more.  It is a model where the business is about people first and how they come together to create a better world through what they do - real meaning!

Instead of the direction of the organisation being set by a bunch of people that only want to see a financial return; how about the direction set by the people on the ground and who have a daily relationship with the business - they are the business.

So here is my current thesis on why this does not happen more: Leaders with big egos.  Of the greatest leader when he is gone they will say we did it ourselves.  The greatest leader is one that is not a leader.  There is no such thing as leadership.  I am convinced there is only love, dedication, vision and action.  A person that can use love, dedication, vision and action to enable others to do the same is needed.  It is not about them - they know that.  It is about using their abilities to help others do whatever is needed to get the job done and do it in excellence!

As soon as we start talking about leadership people clamor for position, title and money.  Ask people to help others achieve their wildly important goals and help the organisation succeed while these people get all the recognition and reward and I don't think you will have many people left that can do the job.  It is a job that requires people to see them selves as enablers, facilitators and connectors so that things can start unfolding on their own.  You have to be secure in your identity so that you don't have to fight for it publicly and embrace complexity so that things can unfold organically.

My aim is to spread the message and work with people to unleash potential and release creativity and let it go where it needs to go.  What are you up to?

Dream vs Security

On my journey I am continuously challenged by different opportunities.  I dream of freedom, creativity and simplicity.  As I dream I look around me to see what needs to be done practically.  I am continuously aware of the tension between the dreams in my heart and the requirements of living a life that is secure.  Secure, that's a nice word.  What the bleep is it anyway... Security!?  Is it freedom from danger, risk, etc. as the dictionary tells you?  Is it something that we put on to make us feel better - a little like an expensive coat?  A coat that can be taken away at any moment...

Why does it look like if you choose security you sacrifice your dreams?  I see so many people that have settled for security or have faced the choice of taking greater risks and have chosen to settle for something secure.  I personally also know people that have taken risks and have then burnt their fingers trying a new venture.  The result is that they then choose a more secure option for the future.  Can you blame them?  You have to start thinking of the kids, education costs, retirement...  The list is endless.  The basic cost of a decent standard of living is rather ridiculous.  Have you ever been in a situation where you look at what's left of your salary/income after deductions for medical aid, cars, house and a few other basics and thought to yourself: "How on earth is this possible?"

I am an idealist, iconoclast, dreamer and believer!  I want to see the small guy win.  I hunger to see a world that really cares but still gets things done.  I hope to find many more inspiring leaders just around the corner.  I see the future for others as they themselves can't even see it yet.
In all this I have to find peace in tension.  Tension between the dream and security.  Tension between action and rest.  Tension between fatalism and free will.  Aaaagh!  Man this is really frustrating... And actually very exciting.  It is not just one thing.  Not boring.  In actual fact the challenge is beautiful.  The way I see it is that if I can get a little more comfortable with change I can be so much more - BE, NOT DO!

I guess this is why I try stuff.

Measure by Growth

What do you measure by? Results are important but many times results come much later like fruit on a tree or grapes on a vine.
Many times in the past I have looked back when it seems like I am heading in the wrong direction and asked my parents if they think I have made a mistake.  The answer that I mostly got was: "No, because we can see how much you have grown".
Perhaps they are looking at results but it is results on a continuum.  In other words the result is me being more mature yet knowing that it is the next step on the journey that I have achieved, not a destination or final measurable result.

My current season really reflects such a phase.  I know that I have grown tremendously in the last year and have come to accept myself as I am more than ever before.  I am making peace with where I am and have come to greater insight regarding ambition.  I see ambition as the driving and destructive force behind our current global condition.  Think about what ambition - the desire to achieve, stand out and be something, has done to our world and communities.  Never before have we been so ambitious in our goals and never before have we wreaked such havoc on our planet.  Inequality is greater than ever and even though we have made major advances that contribute to our standard of living we are no happier than 50 years ago.

I believe that it is ambition that drives a meaningless pursuit after our own, predominantly instant, gratification.  We have polarised our societies into those that are rushing forward at a reckless pace and those that seek greater meaning and purpose in what they do.  I don't think this divide will ever change but hopefully more and more people can meet in the middle where we engage one another in work that centers on love, money and meaning.  I don't think we have to settle for the tyranny of the 'or'.  It does not have to be about money or love; why not both?

What I do make a case against is the domination of our ambition that blindly leads us over the precipice into the abyss.  Ambition that looks at monetary results and ignore the growth of individuals and communities.  Ambition that ignores the growth required to make things more sustainable and full of life.

So what are we measuring?  What is the result we are looking for, and more importantly, who do we have to be to realise our dream?

Making the Change Connection

In my previous post I spoke about looking inside myself for real change.  I would like to take it a step further and link it to the actions we take, the work we do, the decisions we make.  Have a look at this clip and take a few moments to think about the link between your internal world and the external world that you encounter.  How does your behaviour (thoughts, actions and emotions) interact with the world out there?  When we have a great idea and can apply it in our own lives  it does not necessarily mean that it will flow to the world out there.

I don't want to contradict myself  in terms of where your focus lies when it comes to change - change begins inside.  Many times we are unhappy about our circumstances and we love to blame the rest of the world for our pain.  In reality we create our own pain.  Once I have however seen the error of my ways and can start to change my behaviour I want to start thinking about how it touches the lives of others.  As you will see in the clip there are three ingredients to change:  First you have to have an idea, then connect with other people and finally take some action.

What I have come to realise is that when changing something outside of myself has beome bigger than changing myself I have lost perspective.  The most important guideline here is not to take myself too seriously.  Being motivated by some misdirected sense of duty and therefor doing things because "I have to" is really not what I am aiming at here.  In line with the values (freedom, creativity and simplicity) that I identified I frequently check that I am not striving to be accepted but rather let action flow from a full and whole heart.  At the heart of the change process there is the reality that if I am not focusing on being changed I cannot expect others to change.

So I challenge you: Have you been changing inside lately?  Have you considered how you interact with the world around you?  How are your actions (or lack thereof) having an impact on the world around you?
I think this is very difficult and the answer probably changes every now and again.  I think there are some core things (values, principles and beliefs) that remain and define who you are but the how changes.  The more you are aware of your core the easier it is to tackle the how.

I want to connect with more people that have a calm determination regarding their place in this world.  I can't change this world but I would like to be with people who are changing themselves, improving their worlds and simply spreading that vibe. How about you?