Namaste and Numbers

In Sanskrit Namaste means “I bow to you.”  Often it is interpreted as “the Divine in me honors the Divine in you.”  If you have attended a yoga class you may have seen this in practice.  Recognizing that we are all united in Spirit having a human experience is a beautiful way to spend your days.  I can’t help but imagine us taking this practice into the workplace.  In our society we leave our spirituality for the yoga studio, the meditation room or church on Sunday.  I believe this comes from our founding fathers philosophy of separating Church and State.  We were however a Nation founded upon Spiritual Truth.  And that truth had at the least a role to play in our society functioning as a place of flourishing and abundance.  Today the separation has become Church and Workplace.  As commerce has usurped government and the governing titans are CEOs and not presidents, the workplace has become the domain of philosophical battle.  With the teaching of the Business Schools of the 80s, leaders of today are schooled in the science of the bottom line at the cost of the art of the Namaste of life.  How common to hear that well-being and joy is not a primary focus of the corporate office.  Accountability, production, accounts receivable, benefit costs, cutbacks, efficiency, etc…

The domain of more on account of more.  Have we lost the soul of what it means to meet each other at the intersection of work?  How can we move to a blended priority of people and profit?  It seems to me if we start with the understanding that each person carries gifts bestowed upon them from their creator, gifts meant for others, and we honor that truth, then the workplace can become a place of great joy AND profit.  If leaders would look at the people in their organization as their flock and themselves as the shepherd, the practice of honoring who God made them to be by putting them in roles that utilize their unique gifting would become more obvious.  Research also indicates that by digging deep into the individuals core make up, you unleash their infinite potential, thus creating a mutual win for the individual and the organization.  This of course takes time and effort.  Today, following the Great Resignation of 2020, employee engagement and recruitment is more challenging than we have seen in our lifetime.  I believe companies that prioritize their people over profit will ultimately prevail in the competitive business landscape as they unleash the power of their workforce.

Yes, profit is vital and should be a focus as an excellent product and an excellent service will produce revenue. And, if that revenue is stewarded responsibly, the organization will flourish.  And yes, people are the fuel that produce the product and provide the fuel.  As we honor the Divine in our people, they in turn honor the Divine in our processes, our expectations and in our clients.  Namaste and numbers.  I bow in honor to the Divine in you and your bottom line.