Qi Point
Life is short, we all take ourselves and our jobs too seriously most days. Lighten up and try laughing, you’ll be amazed how it can work wonders on yourself and your office mates. If that doesn’t work then try the time tested; “Fake it ‘til you make it!”
Qi View: Why Blog?
In 1999 I had my first real trip outside the U.S. I fell in love with international travel and the many people of diverse cultures that I met along the way. In the Middle East, Israel, Dubai, Kuwait, and Bahrain, the concept of family and community came through loud and clear. 10 years ago everyone on both sides kept telling me; “We are so close to peace.” The hope in their eyes was real, we were almost there and it slipped away. Not so very different from those every day work place dramas where something exceptional is close to happening and one dissatisfied, power hungry employee can ruin it for a whole team.
Walking the streets of London and Amsterdam I could see what it might have been like during the air-raids, when innocent citizens were rounded up and imprisoned for no other reason than they had different religious beliefs from the people in power during the horror of the Nazi regime.
Again, is it any different in the work place today? So many bright minds trapped under the iron fist of a supervisor who demands complete compliance. The old “my way or the highway” management style.
During my journey I found myself revising old opinions and forming new ones on many matters. They ranged from domestic and international business relationships to the quest for wholeness personally and within organizational relationships. My eyes opened and I began looking to the East for answers that I couldn’t find in the West.
The principles that I discovered have worked their way into my way of doing business. Relationships, sustainable relationships built on respect, honor and integrity are everything. Focus on people and placing them in the right positions so their skill sets are maximized can lead to a harmonious and profitable workforce. When fear is allowed to creep into the workplace, it affects performance, profitability and sustainability. Finding common ground in our multi-cultural world is mandatory if we wish to transition from surviving to thriving as a global community.
This blog is my chance to have a little bit of fun, share thoughts, opinions and some of the learning’s that I have discovered. Qi Views are my version of the hidden “keys” or underlying thoughts and behaviors that can transform both our personal and professional lives.
