Earlier this week, I had a highly productive and enjoyable business meeting. Have you ever been to meetings where everybody was motivated by the bottom line or perpetuating the vicious and unproductive circle of keeping their line managers happy for an ‘easy life’? In this case, it was so refreshing and unusual to have a conversation with somebody who runs a very successful local business who not only wanted do the business, but also genuinely wanted to work ‘together’.
It may seem obvious to some, but this may be down to the fact that both they and I share the same values highlighted by the fact that I had not heard the expression ‘I am heart-led’ in a business meeting before. Some may be critical of this ‘fluffy’ approach to doing business, but I am far more likely to not only enjoy working, but also work successfully with somebody whose values I share. It could perhaps understandably be argued that this ‘heart-led’ approach may not be the best business model in some fields of work like investment banking, however the principle of commonly shared values would still stand regardless of the industry.
Have you ever had to go to the doctor and been rushed through like a number with no sense that you are being treated like a person with real concerns about your health? The doctor has many patients and is busy and you accept that to some degree. But what if a different doctor in the same surgery under the same time pressures, took the time to actually listen to you and pay attention and then talked to you, as opposed to at you. Which doctor would you prefer to see? Would you be more likely to want to speak to that same doctor next time you have to visit a medical professional? With this in mind, when did you last take the time to consider what your values are? Who are your role models? What do they stand for?
Whether in a business meeting or visiting a doctor’s surgery, our values are the very essence of who we are. If our values are not in line with or compromised by how we live our lives, then perhaps it is no surprise that we may be unhappy with certain aspects of our lives.
But what if our values were in line with how we lived our lives, whether quality or quantity, how much more could we achieve for ourselves, friends, family and the world at large? And how much happier would we be?
