BELIEFS IN BUSINESS
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But if you haven’ t already picked up on my theme, it’ s worth recognizing that particular beliefs underlie them all. I’ ve come to the conclusion that belief needs to be an area of focus unto itself.
All too often, we aren’ t cognizant of what we believe. Our beliefs will be at work regardless, but unless we pay attention, they remain a mystery to us and we lose the magic. I believe that reflection, understanding, and increased consciousness can change all that. I believe that if we raise awareness of the role beliefs play in our lives, we can make a whole lot of good things happen for ourselves and for everyone around us. It has certainly worked well for me.
Thinking agriculturally( as I want to do, given our work with food), I’ ve come to see that beliefs are basically the root systems of our organizations. What shows up above the surface, in“ real life,” is a reflection of what’ s already been going on below ground. As anarchist Alexander Berkman writes,“ You can’ t grow a rose from a cactus seed.” This statement is so obvious that it seems almost silly to say it aloud. Unfortunately, many of us try to do exactly what Berkman poetically points out won’ t work. Our beliefs are, all too often, out of alignment with what we’ re trying to attain. Yet we’ re still surprised each time the“ wrong” plant sprouts from the soil. We get angry, frustrated, and depressed. We feel defeated. In response, many of us go out to cut the offender off at the root line. But you know what happens then, right? The same darned plant soon pops up again. +
Ari Weinzweig is CEO and co-founding partner of Zingerman’ s Community of Businesses, which includes Zingerman’ s Delicatessen, Bakehouse, Creamery, Catering, Mail Order, ZingTrain, Coffee Company, Roadhouse, Candy Manufactory, Events at Cornman Farms, and the newest business, Miss Kim, which serves great tasting Korean fare. Zingerman’ s produces and sells all sorts of full flavored, traditional foods in its home of Ann Arbor, Michigan to the tune of $ 60,000,000 a year in annual sales. Ari was recognized as one of the“ Who’ s Who of Food & Beverage in America” by the 2006 James Beard Foundation and was awarded a Bon Appetit Lifetime Achievement Award among many recognitions.
Ari is the author of a number of articles and books, including Zingerman’ s Guide to Better Bacon( Zingerman’ s Press), Zingerman’ s Guide to Giving Great Service, Zingerman’ s Guide to Good Eating( Houghton Mifflin), Zingerman’ s Guide to Good Leading, Part 1: A Lapsed Anarchist’ s Approach to Building a Great Business, and Zingerman’ s Guide to Good Leading, Part 2: A Lapsed Anarchist’ s Approach to Being a Better Leader. Zingerman’ s Guide to Good Leading, Part 3; A Lapsed Anarchist’ s Approach to Managing Ourselves, was released in December of 2013. Zingerman’ s Guide to Good Leading, Part 4; A Lapsed Anarchist’ s Approach to the Power of Beliefs in Business was released in summer of 2016. In 2017 Ari was named one of“ The World’ s 10 Top CEOs( They Lead in a Totally Unique Way)” by Inc. Magazine.
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