Corporate wants employee to follow high ethics but not the organization –learn from birds

Many corporate leaders often boast about the great value and belief systems that they follow in the corporate. During meetings, such bosses do remind others about the values and beliefs of the organization and would advice the people not to suggest or follow wrong business practices.

The HR functions in some corporate do organize elaborate training sessions to the people about the ‘values and beliefs’ of the organization. How true are the values and belief systems and how honestly the corporate follows them is a million dollar question.

The discussion is not about such people or the truth about what they speak in public. The leaders who often re-iterate about the values and beliefs with the strong notion are doing so only to ensure people follow. They believe that if they constantly speak about the values and beliefs of the corporate even though they do not follow them up, such repeated saying would make sacrosanct effects upon people so the people in the corporate would start to follow or practice the same. Every liar or thief never likes to have another thief or liar as his subordinate or employee.

If the values and beliefs are deeply integrated in the corporate culture and the same are followed sincerely, no one needs to remind or reiterate or mention them often. What is absolutely true, no one needs to speak or remind or remember or re-iterate. What is not followed and believed consciously and consensually only to be repeatedly and loudly told. Only then the corporate leaders can make others to follow and believe what the corporate leaders do not believe and follow.

Nature gives a perfect example to the corporate to learn about how the corporate and its people should follow and adhere to values and beliefs. Values and beliefs should be part of ones life and the life should flow through such values and beliefs as well and even inadvertently.

Look at the birds during sleep. Most of the birds perch on the branch of a tree and then sleep. Birds never sleep inside the nest. One may wonder how they hold onto the branches of trees while sleeping. How birds doesn’t fall off from trees while sleeping.

While sleeping, how birds could be so conscious that it has to hold onto the tree firmly and if they are so conscious, how they could sleep?

The feet adaptation of birds is such that while resting or sleeping, the tendon closes firmly and never it get loosened. Their feet hold onto the branch of a tree more firmly when they are in sleep or in a state of trans and even in their state of unconsciousness.

It is not, what one follow consciously are values and beliefs, but what one follow even by default or unconsciously, should form part of values and beliefs. Always the operating domain of people should be from their values and beliefs. Whether they operate consciously or unconsciously should not determine such working style.

Live with what you believe and let your life speak about what you believe rather than how loud you speak about it. This simple management message only nature conveys through the feet adaptation of most birds.

Dr S Ranganathan