Did you know…
“Many workplace practices are as harmful as secondhand smoke”
“According to the Mayo Clinic, the person you report to at work is more important for your health than your family doctor.”
Job stress costs US employers more than $300 billion annually
“In total, workplace environments in the United States may be responsible for 120,000 excess deaths per year — which would make workplaces the fifth leading cause of death — and account for about $180 billion in additional health-care expenditures, approximately 8 percent of the total health-care spending.”
58% of employees say they trust strangers more than their boss
79% of people who quit their jobs, cite lack of appreciation las their reason for leaving
A whopping 73% of those surveyed say they work strictly for the paycheck
58% of managers say they did not receive any management training
(Resources: Forbes, Dying for a Paycheck, Salary.com)
Having worked in and with Corporate America for the past 15 years, I knew it was bad. However, I had no idea how truly horrific it really is from this quantitative perspective. Seriously, how did we get into this situation?
More importantly, how do we begin to get ourselves out?
This is the crux of my purpose and reason for being in this world. I know deep down, intuitively, there is a better and more soulful way of working. Clearly, things must change. I also have a pretty good idea of where we need to begin. Change always begins from within.
When working in a coaching relationship, lasting change begins by diving deep within. We need to understand the beliefs, assumptions, and ways of being that truly serve us and those that limit our progress and potential. Then we know the behaviors to leverage and/or change and can begin to craft a new way of being.
An organization is very similar. We must look deep within, at the heart and soul of the organization to begin meaningful change. The heart and soul can be seen within LEADERS, WORKPLACE CULTURE and DAILY PRACTICES. These are the most powerful levers we have available to change the dynamics from the soul crushing statistics above to a workplace that is fueled by meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
We must change our leadership and organizational mindsets! As my colleagues at Corporate Rebels say…
“Profits Alone Won’t Do It.”
To start, we need an intentional shift from Profit to Purpose. I am referring to the kind of change that has integrity and sincerity. I see a lot of leaders who say the right things, but act in ways that are completely incongruent.
Dig deep, what is the real reason you exist, beyond money, that inspires you and those around you to come together and make a difference? Even better, begin a conversation with your colleagues and teams to answer this question.
Does this task feel daunting? Good news…there is a bounty of resources available to help you find this purpose. I’ve written about it before here. Or better yet, drop me an email and I’ll send you a few of my favorite recommendations.
At the end of the day, we need to evolve our thinking away from poor management beliefs and practices of the past that have gotten us to this toxic place.
We need to adopt new mindsets to create a future that is soulful and it begins with Evolved Executives and Organizations. This is a topic near to my heart and could literally write volumes. That is in fact what I have done. I have a new book coming out in June titled, “The Evolved Executive: The Future of Work is Love in Action”. I’m excited to share what I’ve come to learn. Stay tuned…
Lastly, I have deep gratitude for Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer and the Corporate Rebels team who inspired this blog. Jeffrey Pfeffer gathered many of these appalling statistics above. If you haven’t seen it yet, his new book, Dying for a Paycheck, is a must read! The Corporate Rebels team were just listed amount the Top 30 Emergent Management Thinkers. Check them out: www.corporate-rebels.com
What are we waiting for? Today is the day to create a different tomorrow!
Share your Comments! Do you agree that workplaces need a radical change? What step are you willing to take?