Organizations cannot operate without people and it is this emphasis on the human element that is so exciting in today’s business world. The days of mistreating both customers and employees are rapidly diminishing.
We now live in a time when companies strive to create a conscious and mindful culture that works toward empowering employees and serving customers. As Patrick Moorehead writes in Forbes magazine, tech giant Cisco exemplifies an organization that places humanity above the bottom line.
Cisco’s “Conscious Culture” can be boiled down to three important elements: The “environment,” where the company emphasizes dignity, respect, fairness, and equity. Second, Cisco focuses on “characteristics,” which means how the company’s behaviour and beliefs influence the overall culture. Finally, “experience” encompasses leadership and teambuilding with an emphasis on employees’ direct experiences when dealing with management and respective teams.
“If you follow Cisco, you might remember the company’s ‘People Deal,” which it created a few years ago,” writes Moorehead. “The People Deal is essentially the promise Cisco makes to its employees and what it asks from them in return.”
I greatly admire the goals of “The People Deal,” which are to innovate everywhere, connect everything and benefit everyone. When you are lucky enough to reach a successful state, then you have a responsibility to make sure that you are operating in a manner that helps and not hurts people.
The priority of any organization should be its people because nothing happens without them. Organizations that embrace consciousness, understand that people are the core of any enterprise and they must be treated with care and respect. Nurturing and emboldening people will have only positive results.
I am proud of and humbled by the employees in my organization. I have been observing artisans and weavers since I was very young, and the way these people create beautiful works of art almost without thinking is inspiring. I learn so much from them even after all of these years. I realize that the weavers are the backbone of my company. Anyone who works with me also understands this because it is ingrained in our culture.
The experience part of a conscious culture incorporates leadership and team building. As important as individuals are, working together as a team is when ideas and innovation blossom. Collaboration breeds creativity and this, in turn, leads to innovation. When people work together, their interaction leads to new ideas but also fosters trust among the group.
Putting people at the forefront of any organization changes the entire atmosphere of the entity. Focusing on people shows that your company knows what is truly important and it leads to customers embracing your brand and employees striving to do their best.
