“He who does not fulfill his present duty breaks a thread in the loom and will find the defect when he has forgotten its cause.” – Henry Ward Beecher
I remember a Latin phrase that we were taught in elementary school: Age quod agis. In essence, the phrase means “do what you do and do it with yourself.” When we do what we do with our whole being, it means working from our center, our core, that is, our heart and our soul (not just from the neck up).
When we work from the heart and soul, we are not talking about a “soft”, religious, theological or subversive approach to work, airy fairy, new-age, “soft”. However, we are talking about a deeper approach to work.
This deeper approach to work focuses on excellence, ethics, and fairness. This deeper approach to the work raises questions, some very difficult questions, like:
How can companies promote sustainability and the environment?
What is a fair and equitable salary, compensation package, or bonus?
When are outsourcing, downsizing and layoff efforts justified?
How do companies promote the family?
How can I find my true calling?
Is there an “enlightened” economy?
How can we restore trust in the workplace?
Can our workplaces be more ethical and humane?
Does work have to be boring, routine, and meaningless?
Can “anti-Dilbert” exist in the workplace?
Is the separation of spirituality and the boardroom a “fact”?
Can people do “the right thing” without “management control”?
Why do so many, when they get to the top of the ladder, find it leaning against the wrong building?
How do we respond to unethical conduct?
How do we earn money and meaning?
How do we resist the “snatch and bribery” way of doing business?
How do we avoid gossip and bullying and show humility and respect?
What will I do with the rest of my life after retirement?
Warren Buffet said, “I’ve seen a lot of not-so-good human beings succeed in business; I wish it were otherwise.” Now, there are likely to be many Warren Buffet-type thinkers among us who would agree. Also, with the economic downturn, many people are finding that not only are they doing well with less and happier, but now wondering why they needed more in the first place.
Age quod agis is about the integration of spirituality with business, an integration that many have long been discovering due to the throes of the economic and financial crises that we are currently experiencing. There is no doubt that people are becoming more introspective about who they are and how they are at work given the catastrophic storm of unethical, immoral and illegal antics that we read and hear on a daily basis.
Given the unhealthy, unhappy, fear-based, and worrying work environments that many people find themselves in, the creative energy that flows from the heart and soul could just be a catalyst that can transform today’s workplace into a healthier, more attractive and more ethical place. to spend most of their waking hours.
What do we do with our “whole” self?
“Being yourself in a world that constantly tries to turn you into something else is the greatest achievement.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Research and self-reports show that more and more workers seek calm and well-being amid the storm by “stepping in” and reevaluating their values and motivations and discovering that when they come to work (and life) from a deeper place, they don’t egoic, they experience a greater sense of meaning, satisfaction, and well-being than they previously experienced when driven by ego-based needs and desires, driven by greed and speed. Many are discovering that spiritual and humanistic goods are turning into desires greater than wealth and material gain and serve as greater psycho-emotional supports than holding an “image” or “person.”
Getting to work with our whole being means focusing on “who you really are”, your being and your character within your team, your group, your organization and in your civic and social community.
Getting to work with our whole being means consciously and proactively dealing with the “tension” between spirituality and spiritual values, and work.
Getting to work with our whole being means choosing to take the time to search our spreadsheets to consciously focus on people and values, to speak for what is right, and to make an effort to act compassionately.
Personal discontent
In today’s workplace, constant competition, fear, surveillance, gossip, intimidation, and stress lead to personal unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and discomfort, which is not a very productive way to live life at work. Coming to work with all of yourself fosters calm and provides a perspective that gives one a head start that is a genuine resource for overcoming distress, agitation, anxiety, and aggression. Coming to work with a heart, soul and mind driven approach provides mental, emotional, physical and psychological balance and harmony, a balance that supports a workplace characterized by “us” rather than “me” vs. “you”, and engenders a strong ethic of personal responsibility and self-management of “who am I” and “how am I” at work.
Discernment
Coming to work with the whole being fosters a spiritual practice known as “discernment” – a way to quiet the mind and move away from constant noise and chatter – internal and external – and enables the wisdom of the “unknown” (intuitive knowing “,” right understanding “and” right action “) arise from within rather than always forcing our” comparative-logical “mind to answer questions and find solutions that are often quick, simple and … wrong.
Dealing with people
The most intangible and complex element of any business equation is people. Age quod act means dealing with people by dealing with yourself first; as Socrates suggests, “Know thyself.” Having a firm understanding of one’s core values, inner motivations, and purpose for being on the planet, coupled with emotional maturity, is what enables one to show oneself with integrity, authentic and real. Age quod agis when combined with effective leadership and managerial thinking creates a high performing workplace where ethical behavior, trust and honesty, respect and meaning inform day-to-day activities and beings.
Age quod agis means acting with wisdom, discernment, integrity, empathy, and compassion, qualities that emanate from a deeper self, qualities that are not co-opted by greed or speed. Age quod agis means doing the right thing, moment by moment, with your whole being.
So some questions for self-reflection are:
Do you check your heart, soul, and values at the door when you show up for work?
Do you deal with the “whole person” in your relationships with others at work (and at home, and at play)?
Do you ever take time during your workday to be calm (walk carefully, reflect, meditate …)?
Are greed and speed the two main driving forces in your workplace?
Do you feel that others see you at work as a “complete” person or just as a “function” (how about at home)?
Do you consider that decisions in the workplace are generally ethical and fair? What about your workplace decisions and choices?
Are there “anti-Dilberts” in your workplace?
Does your organization pay attention to social and civic concerns?
Do people usually do the “right thing” even when no one is looking?
Does your organization take your family into account in any way, shape or form? If not, how does that make you feel?
Does your organization make efforts to reduce boredom and routine and add meaning to work? You do?
Are “not very good human beings” successful in their workplace? How is that?
Can you imagine a workplace where Age quod’s approach to work acted “business as usual”?
