A sustainable working world is a world where human, economic, and ecological demands simultaneously are met. The smallest element of an organization is the individual. Hence, that is where we must start.
We do not have a separate work life and a separate private life. We only have one life. And it's happening now. Our time on earth is limited, hence life cannot be postponed. Life is about Relating, Breathing, Creating, Serving, Growing, Exploring, Grieving, Struggling, Loving and Celebrating. We do this in different contexts - one of them is the work setting. We spend more time at work than with our loved ones. Time is precious.
No one is alike. Everyone is unique, but deep inside we all want to become the best versions of ourselves. Consciously or unconsciously, we want to manifest our inner visions and beings in the outer world. We have a need to be accepted as who we are, to be understood, and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to belong. We are wired for connection. We are social beings.
We want to be a part of living organizations with supporting structures that minimize stupid rules, bureaucracy, political games, and suboptimizing. To flourish, we need a warm culture of comradeship, mutual trust, and accountability foremost to ourselves, our colleagues, and our joint purpose.
When we feel trusted and free and when our universal human needs are met, we want to contribute to others. When we connect to our intrinsic motivation the energy is endless. When the endless energy is aligned with a higher purpose, magic can happen.
The workplace should be a place where we can live our own calling, feel safe, and grow both on a professional and personal level as human beings. The workplace should be a playground where we want to bring the whole of ourselves, connect, create great value, and get challenged. Let us remind each other, that our work life is simply all of us sharing a slice of our lives.
To make it happen we need self-aware leaders that lead with empathy and all stakeholders in mind.
We only have one life, one planet, and the reality we are living in.
Let us work together to make the most of it!
