" If you love who you are at work, you will love being at work."
John Donne, in 1624, in his Meditation 1726 writes:
No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thy friend’ s Or of thine own were: Any man’ s death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind, And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.- John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, 1923.
The curative culture where we thrive is a place where there is more than a small recognition that“ every man is a piece of the continent.” The accompanying sense of belonging gratifies and fortifies, enabling each sojourner to contribute from their own unique perspective. This is said without any illusion of finding or creating a utopian workplace, for as we all know, it doesn’ t exist. Rather, it is an expression of being in a community where a strong majority believes it is connected, and in that connectedness and interdependence is a part of what is right with the world. Donne says it so well,“ Because I am involved with mankind.”
Much of what I’ m proposing is totally contrary to what many of us know as“ the American way of life.” Our watchword is independence rather than community. Our mantra is“ selfmade man” rather than being“ involved in mankind.” If we desire to step away from a toxic culture, we would do well to challenge the norm. I assure you that the destination will be well worth the journey.
" If you love who you are at work, you will love being at work."
Most of us have likely heard the expression,“ If you love what you do, you’ ll never work a day in your life,” which has been attributed to everyone from Confucius to Marc Antony or Mark Twain. Today, it still leaves us thinking about those fortunate to have found what they love to do in the way of work. In the curative culture where we are given the opportunity to be our best selves, we can thrive. We might also consider the value of this additional thought: if you love who you are at work, you will love being at work.
Leaders who see the value in their employees and help them thrive have more fulfilling lives themselves. There are so many pressures to perform carried by those responsible for the bottom line, profitability being chief among them. With this pressure, the careful maintenance of a company’ s culture can be overlooked, pushed aside, or even sacrificed in the belief that maximum profits come at the expense of the individuals who help create them.
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