As a business coach, I get exposed to a plethora of attitudes, beliefs, values and businesses environments. I love discovering how people are courageously making new decisions in creating and developing workplaces that are more uplifting, engaging, friendly, etc… in contrast to old style corporate prisons and cold-war politics and workplace bitter-fields.

It never ceases to amaze me though, when I still come across a workplace that’s like a prison, slave driver mentality, or schoolyard bully and his team style leader.

I recently had the incredible delight, and privilege, to work with a leadership team from a very large SA organisation (Billions in annual turnover), where we were able to start to shift from an old style leadership paradigm of fear, force, threats, suspicion and control to a powerfully engaging, open, uplifting, trusting and truthfully supportive style of authentic leadership. This team was able to shift 30 years of mental prison and set themselves free to become a genuinely unified team with trust, truth and Soul as their foundation of engagement

I know from feedback, that their new perspectives have dramatically increased levels of Courage, Authenticity, Service, Trust & Truth, Love and Effectiveness. This will definitely positively impact all aspects of their teams’ effectiveness and financial performance in the future.

In contrast to this leadership style shift, recently, I was a fly on the wall of another major global organisation. It was their bi-annual key-management meeting, addressed by their head of the Africa division. 

As I listened to them being lashed… sorry I mean… as I listened to the reasons being laid down by their “division leader” for why more profits must be produced, and all the big bad mistakes they had made over the last few months, I was stuck by the incredible similarity between them and our past slavery practices.

There were only few differences that I noticed as I stood there.  These current day “slaves” had nice clothes. They were fairly well fed and watered. And they must have has reasonably decent shelters. I just couldn't see the shackles that bound them - But they were obviously there. If you saw their faces and experienced their energies – you’d understand clearly.

They were being bashed…, sorry…I mean mesmerised by their leaders' ongoing extortion that they had to meet ever-increasing targets. They had to cut costs to the bone! They had to work harder for their JOB’s (Just Over Broke) and paltry financial rewards! 

They were expected to deliver even more with less. They were expected to perform miracles, no matter what the cost to their health, happiness, family life or life balance - even if it cost them their marriage or their life. 

And why were they expected to make this great sacrifice? For some greater good of mankind? No! But because the owners/overseas shareholders, just expected it! They just expected more money. They don't need more money... they just wanted it for? Back to my distinction between greeders and leaders. What do you think they are?

Whatever happened to the human aspects of life and business? Whatever happened to honour, dignity, integrity, love, passion, Soul, trust, care and fun? What about making a positive difference for mankind – sorry ladies J - All of us!

It seems that it’s men who’ve lost their way. As men charge into economic-battle, they’ve lost sight of their Soul. They’ve also reneged on their commitments to integrity, and their foundation of honour. As a group, we men have lost our credibility and Soul/heart. Ask any woman.

Together we accept the despicable behaviour of greedy little men, driven only by the value of more and more, money, more power or more control over… whatever. We are complicit in how men’s behaviour and actions have degenerated, almost back to the level of the marauding Vikings and Cave Men.

Shame! Shame on men for letting other men do this to humanity in the name of "profitable business" or “I’m the one with force… so watch out!”

In the name of business, (Read gimme more money) we destroy rain forests, we “hunt” defenceless wild animals in closely contained cages, we fish the seas to emptiness. We burn precious oxygen and waste billions of tonnes of water. We rape, murder, pillage, plunder and betray others at every possible encounter to make more money, more power, or have control.  Is this driven and fuelled by love or by fear? What do you think?

Men in business have become human traders. They trade in human energy. Just like the matrix, most staff are viewed as no more than a battery-in-business.   When they run out of value or energy discard them! Quick downsize or rightsize - the shareholders are demanding more profits. 

The unscrupulous businesses generate profits for themselves and very often actually destroy true human value over time - often maintaining worker poverty, dependence and low self-esteem and perpetuating learned helplessness.

Ask yourself this question – Am I truly proud of every rand my organization makes?

It seem that these "high powered" men, are really insecure, brattish, pathetic little boys masquerading as powerful, loving, beings created in the image of GOD.

Answer these questions… My Leader tells the whole truth at work?  I see Courage modeled every day by my Leaders? My leader supports my core values? I trust my leaders?

Ask any employee how much of their daily energy they utilise for protection from politics etc… in their workplace. My research reveals an average of around 65% to 80%, is used just for protection!  And this cultural environment is created, driven and maintained by the leaders, who are usually men – driven by heads with scant a sign of heart anywhere.

There are times that I feel ashamed to be classified under the banner of being a male. In South Africa , we hear of 3 rapes a minute against our women and what do we do...!  Very little if anything. We hear of men (Criminals) running away with millions of other peoples money and hiding behind legal structures and the law, and what do we do? Very little.  We hear of child abuse and incest levels that are abhorrent. And what do we do? Very little.

We turn our face and claim it’s not our problem.  We live like we are separate, when in truth we’re really are all ONE!  Effective men we are!

In business we hear of single moms working 12 to 16 hours a day, with no support or understanding about her children, school, sickness etc… Here are more of our slaves.

Daily we read in papers, and see in the media, the ongoing exhortation and frenzy to make more and more profits. It seems we’ve created our own business dragons!

Many leaders of business today simply have one primary focus in mind - MORE profits. Not more Love. Not more health. Not more care. Not more support. Not more Soul. Just, quite brutally, “I don't care what it takes, make ME more money!”, otherwise I won’t look so good to the board or the shareholders. 

Our new shift has to be a balance between people and profits. For me profits are the life-blood of the organisation not the sole reason it should exist.  What about a slightly higher cause and destiny for your business.

Stress levels are elevated, anger runs free, rage has become the norm, fear is rampant, Loneliness is the foundation of the average persons’ life in a business. Research revels that 60% of people leave due to lack of appreciation and recognition.  And this for what...?

The path men have put us onto is destined for destruction, heart-attack, burn-out, love-less, trust-less, dog-eat-dog, high pressure, military war-zone, where no one cares about you when you leave and seldom whilst you are there.  Come on women leaders – stand up and show up! We need some Soul in the world – soon! Please….very soon.

It just seems that no-one cares any more today. Everyone is so tied up in a hurry, scurry, make more money syndrome, that we've completely lost sight of the whole opportunity, meaning and potential of life. 

We spend most of our waking lives in the well named "Rat Race".  We work with people we don't necessary like, in offices we hate, selling, promoting, supporting, making and facilitating products and transactions that don't fit our value systems or our integrity many times.

We know what we are doing has little or no integrity, yet we continue to do it. We talk about sustainable futures. This one isn't.  Although we will deny it, as I see it, our business practises are not very different from past slavery style endeavours.

People are cajoled, manipulated, forced and coerced, in the name, and disguise, of “motivation”. They are watched over like criminals. "Motivated" to work longer hours for their pay, often at great cost to their health, happiness and family life. And in next to no time they’re traded or discarded as soon as they loose their profit value.

We can deny any resemblance to past practices. But the truth will always be revealed. We’ve lost our Soul. Is there any Soul in your business? Ask your staff if you are brave enough.

The way men run business, focused solely on competition and profits - reveals the true depth and breadth of our male challenges. It reveals how we have destroyed trust and truth on almost every level.  Yet trust is the air that successful companies, and teams, must breathe, together, if they are to have sustainability, real value and a life worth living.

It seems that men have lost their connection to their most important part - Their Heart.  We need to redesign the foundation of business and it's reason for being as we know it.  Because the way we are running business right now is killing us in more ways than we care to consider.  Answer this question… I feel cared for and Loved at work? Do you?

Hopefully as we bring more women into leadership positions, they will bring the feminine aspects and balance, and not try to compete on men's outdated military style leadership traits.

We need to challenge men to become higher-ground leaders. Leaders who care a little less about their wallet, and more about how we are showing up in this incredible game called Life. Leaders who engender love, engagement, authenticity, respect and, nourishment for the Soul, not fear, war and deception.  Ask any Enron ex employee.

Ask the men in your space, "whose life have you truly changed or positively touched today"? Not with money, force or business, but with care, love, compassion, integrity and kindness. Watch their brain fry! J  We require your support to be come real again.

I ask that our children, and women, please forgive us men, for what we have done, and how we have shown up in the past. Many of us have lost our hearts and cling feebly onto our emotion-less minds and highly fragile egos. We have betrayed the honor of what it is to be real men - with dignity, strength, passion, honor and integrity.

And all of this for something that will be instantly worthless to us as we near our last days on this planet. Was it really worth selling your Soul and integrity to be a forceful, "respected”, wealthy (feared) businessman?   Some men actually get past this fear or need, before they die. Will you? Come on Ladies, we need your help here.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the wave for people and profits balance is already here. Just today another 30 people are choosing to show up as higher-ground leaders and claiming the keys to their new C.A.S.T.L.E.  Isn’t it time right now – to be courageous enough to shift towards becoming a new style leader?

It’ll do wonders for reducing your stress levels, increase staff retention, up satisfaction levels, grow profits, change the atmosphere of the workplace. And maybe, just maybe…you could begin to show up in a way that clearly reveals and celebrates who we all are. – We all need profit as our business lifeblood, but how about a really powerful Destiny, Cause and Calling for your organization – that will be an irrevocable signal of recognition – that we are truly Spiritual Being having a human experience – and that in fact we are all par of the ONE.

So here is my final question… Are you a slave driver or an Impala Inspirer?   May your Soul sing and heart dance in the splendor of this game we call life.

Namaste’

Tony Dovale
Chief Alchemist & Results Coach
www.lifemasters.co.za
083-447-6300
LifeMasters@coachfree.com

*Used with permission from the author