Disclaimer: The content of these articles is to be used as a general guide only. Professional advice should be sought before taking any action relating to the points discussed in these articles.

WORKING FROM YOUR SOUL

I am writing this edition of Rentons' Business Tips just a few days after the disasters in the United States. It is times like these that profits and business success can seem quite trivial when compared with the welfare of family and friends.

It was actually ten years ago this month that my brother, Peter Renton, left to live in the United States. In 1991, I replaced Peter as the managing director of Australian Credit Stationers. Peter has been President of our sister company, Rentons Inc. in Denver, Colorado since that time.

Whenever there is a plane crash in the United States, I always check that Peter is not in the air at the time. Fortunately, Denver is quite a long way from the disasters in Washington and New York. Peter is safe but our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those families who haven't been so lucky.

The following article, "Working From Your Soul" by Peter Renton, comes from the Fall 2001 edition of Renton's Quarterly. This article is much different from other business articles you would have read. It is reproduced here with Peter's permission.

WORKING FROM YOUR SOUL

It was a dark and stormy night. Really it was. I was at my favourite Denver bookstore, The Tattered Cover, browsing around waiting for this ferocious evening storm to clear so I could get back to my car without getting drenched. And then I saw it - a copy of Fortune magazine that really caught my eye.
The headline was "God and Business - the Surprising Quest for Spiritual Renewal in the American Workplace". I have been thinking about and exploring this topic myself for some time now, and I was amazed and delighted to see it on the cover of such a "big corporate" publication like Fortune magazine. It made me more convinced than ever that the time has come for ordinary people to not only be allowed but also encouraged to bring more spirit and consciousness to their work.

I happen to believe very firmly in spiritual freedom, but whatever you believe, I think there are steps we can all take to make the work place more ethical, more humane and more meaningful.
I have a number of friends who spend their workday in the thick of corporate America. For all the benefits these corporations entice their employees with - when it all comes down to it, most companies care only about one thing - the bottom line. While I realise the bottom line is very important, it should not be the only consideration for any business. I cringe when I read the almost daily layoffs that are infecting so many businesses. Public companies need to show shareholders that they are doing something to get profits back on track. But what are they doing to the souls of their business? And more importantly what are they doing to the souls of their employees?

I hope and believe we could be on the cusp of a paradigm shift in attitude in business. Articles like this one in Fortune magazine are getting the attention of business leaders. Some corporations are starting to recognise that they need to do more to nurture their employees - more than just offer the normal financial benefits and incentives. The article described several corporations that are thinking beyond the bottom line. They are doing things like not laying off employees during economic downturns, closing on Sundays in the case of a large retail furniture chain, taking month long spiritual sabbaticals and supporting meditation practices at work.

Some of these things you may not be able to implement simply because of your situation, but I think that they are all worth considering.

1. Be Gentle With Yourself and Others
We all have an inner critic that can get pretty active if we do or say something stupid, or if we fail at some task. I pre-empt this nasty inner critic by just acknowledging that I am human and therefore not perfect, so I know I am going to screw up sometimes. By really integrating that into my life, when I screw up or say the wrong thing my inner critic doesn't have nearly as much impact as it used to. This also works with others - when I see friends beating themselves up I try to be supportive of them and not of their inner critic. Also, I try to approach it in a friendly and non-critical way, pointing out the mistake but supporting the person at the same time.

2. Set Realistic Expectations
Goal setting is still a huge movement today, but I tend to believe that setting unrealistic goals leads to frustration and dissatisfaction. These days I do set certain business goals but I make sure they are in line with my life goals as well. This way my work life and home life can be in harmony.

3. Be Flexible and Supportive
I have always treated employees as people that have lives outside of their work. So I try to be as flexible and supportive as possible of their lives. This means they can always take time off if needed for personal reasons - and we have no set sick days policy - I will try and support my employees as long as I can if they are in need. Of course, if I feel someone is exploiting this flexibility, it can be revoked at any time, but the important thing is that my employees know they are appreciated and supported.

4. Keep it Fun and Light
I often think that business can be too serious. People put on their serious face when they come to the office and it doesn't have to be that way. Now, I am no Bozo the Clown, but I think it is appropriate for people to just be themselves at work with some room for a little fun.

5. Do it Right - Working With Integrity
I know I could probably make more money if I outsourced all my printing to Mexico or China. I could probably squeeze my vendors here harder, and could get away with paying my employees less. I realise that if times are tough, you may have to cut costs somewhere just to stay in business, but I just hope you consider all of the ramifications of what you do. I believe in working with integrity - in focusing not just on the bottom line and what is best for me, but what is best for everyone involved.
I try to work from my soul - and these are some of the things that I have incorporated into my work life. Now, I am not expecting you to take on all of these points even if you can - the point of this article is just to suggest that you think about your job in a more real and holistic way. Whatever your philosophy, whatever you believe, the world will be a better place if we are allowed and encouraged to bring more of ourselves into our work lives - to work from our souls.
If you wish to read more articles from Peter Renton you can go to www.rentons.com  and click on "Quarterly Newsletter."

This article is reprinted from Rentons' Business Tips No. 11
© Copyright October 2001 ACS