It’s probably one of the most heavily debated questions in the world of business. Business is a part of our lives where results matter so much, where success or failure can mean the difference between a thriving company, and bankruptcy with the help of a bankruptcy attorney. Many people often wonder if the cutthroat world of business can result in success if people don’t resort to “every dirty trick in the book” in order to succeed, including lying, cheating and breaking every rule or code of conduct that proves inconvenient.
It’s easy to see why this notion is so heavily discussed. When the business world is described as “cutthroat,” there’s a heavy implication—and plenty of documented examples—of people who have taken a “victory at all costs” approach, and done whatever was required to make a profit. Sadly, there are plenty of examples throughout the years of people even being willing to break the law if it meant getting an edge in the game of making a profit.
When you see these examples or hear yet another story in the news about an unscrupulous CEO, or corrupt executive, even an entire, deceptive bank, or technology company, it makes you wonder if it’s possible for soulful leadership to even exist in such an environment. To some, the idea of another person working in business is almost an admission of being a bad person, that nothing and nobody is as important as making money.
But soulful leadership can exist, and it can also prove that this is just not true.
There’s Karma In Business Too
There’s that old saying, “What goes around, comes around,” and it just means that the acts you perform, and the way you conduct yourself will have consequences and ramifications in the future. This is something that Technalink strives to impart to everyone that is interested in soulful leadership. While it is true that there are success stories that appear to be built on unethical practices, there are also many, many examples of healthy, happy businesses that achieve success by simply striving to work hard, be professional, and treat everyone fairly, whether that is clients or employees.
Breaking the rules, lying, or even resorting to harassment or blackmail may get results, but they are the kind of results that eventually come back with appropriate ramifications, as is so often seen in these spectacular business stories once the truth comes out. Of course, mindfulness, compassion, and empathy for others is a far less “noisy” method of practicing business, and thus, often doesn’t get a lot of media attention.
But this way of running a business is also, in some ways, harder. Obviously, when people decide to break a law, they do it because they feel this is the faster, easier way to accomplish a goal. Playing “by the rules” is sometimes considered slow, or less efficient than trying to find as many shortcuts as possible, for a result.
The Benefits
But soulful leadership, while it may not be as loud, flashy, or even “fast” as a less ethical rule-breaker, brings different kinds of benefits. This creates a healthy environment, with healthy employees. It creates comradery, responsibility, and inspires a sense of loyalty that is nearly impossible to maintain in an environment based on fear and competition.
Soulful leadership is not just about profits, although of course, any successful business pursues this. The improvement with soulful leadership is both financial and psychological. This is about making a business better, but also about making the employers and employees better people than they were at the start of the journey together. And this is something that no unethical business practice can ever provide, and only take away.
Leave a Reply