Imagine, what that can do to you? Unknowingly, we all at some point in time, get so caught up in the rut of things that we forget why we got into it in the first place. If that’s the case with you, it’s time to stir the pot and re-kindle your old flame – I mean your passion! There needs to be enough fuel to keep your zest and passion last that long, if not, it can become an empty, sterile place to work and earn a livelihood.

Unfortunately, the current economic downturn has contributed to this. It has not only shaken the stock market but also the faith and spirit of the people. The sudden and domino downfall of companies with their downsizing has not only stolen employees of their jobs but also their identities. This is considering how for some, their work became their life, having dedicated so many years of their life to an organization! As for those who remain back and still have a job, they appear equally clueless on what to expect next! Is it my turn next? Will I have a job when I come back tomorrow morning? – There’s a lot of insecurity in the air, tension between relationships, poor morale and a constant undercurrent of fear versus sense of pride and ownership towards your work. The economy today has made people feel like Kleenex tissues. Everything is disposable, including human emotions and spirit!

Agreed, the economy will take its time to recover and rebuild itself. But we are only looking at the numbers and running the statistics. In the chase to fix the bottom-line and balance out the assets and liabilities column, its crucial that companies don’t forget and leave out their most important asset – their employees. If you want to fix your bottom-line, invest in your people first! Fixing the economy is not an easy feat, but we can start with refueling our people with hope and give them a purpose.

This is a great opportunity for organizations to not just revisit their number crunching strategies but also look at revamping their outlook towards change. Focus on what matters most and strengthen that. Give your employees a fight song and revive their team spirit. Empower them by engaging and involving them in the decision making process. Nine out of ten times, people just want to be heard and shown some respect (yes, I’m quoting Oprah here!). Like Courtney Rubin, I agree, it’s not all about the compensation.

In chasing the big picture, even the small wins count, so stop to acknowledge and celebrate that. Value and acknowledge your employee’s efforts. A small act of thanking an employee by name, and recognizing her/his efforts in front of others can help boost employee morale. Rebuild your employees’ trust in the leadership and strengthen your walls inside out! Tracy James and Nancy Mobley offer interesting tips on how to effectively communicate and engage your employees in a recession.

What’s your viewpoint? Would love to hear your outlook on this economy and how we can help our people?

Photo by: Beverly & Pack

Something is to be said about the world of sports that just breaks all barriers. Even growing up in India, a highly diverse country, when it came to cricket – the national sport, everybody from my grandmother to my neighbor’s son doted over the Indian cricket team. Cricket in India is not merely a sport or a source of entertainment, it symbolizes much more than that. I see a similar thrill and fanaticism in the American football. If sports could be a religion we’d all be singing the same choir across the globe!

What I find most fascinating is the power of a game to just unite people across the board. Not only are they involved in the game but act as primary stakeholders championing the cause. They are fully present, completely invested and focused on their singular, unanimous goal – to win!  For those few hours, the ardent fans metamorphose and embody their home team spirit. They do what it takes to show their solidarity towards their team, even if it means cheering in the stands half naked with body paint showing your patriotism and loyalty.

What’s even more stupefying is that people accept that behavior as team loyalty versus scoffing at it. Isn’t that incredible?! You just let your guard down; throw aside your differences and fight for your team. You develop a pack mentality defending your team even if that means celebrating a win together or moping over a loss in unison. Common theme, being passionate about it no matter what!

As humans, as mundane our lives might appear with disparate backgrounds and lifestyles, on game day we transform, paint our faces red and go tribal humming the same fight song. We feel passionate! We feel powerful! Imagine what this could do for you if you piggyback on this euphoria?

At a micro level, what if you could rally this force and be able to generate this kind of energy on a day-to-day basis? I look at organizations and wonder, what can they do for their employees to inculcate, encourage and nurture this kind of passion? Furthermore, imagine the potential of what that can do for your company at large at a macro level? I believe, as individuals we all have that passion deep-rooted in us, for some it’s blatant and burning, for others it’s a matter of rekindling the spark. It’s in delving into that passion that has the power to transform things from ordinary to extraordinary! My next post looks further into that aspect from an organization’s standpoint to see what that means for them?

Pictures by dtraleigh and MattGDawson.