I’m a health nut and learn as much as I can about nutrition, exercise, etc. Over the years I have learned much from Dave Asprey and Bruce Lipton.
This podcast is a profound conversation between two of the smartest people in health. When you listen to it think about the following:
- It’s all about how we produce and manage energy.
- While we all have our DNA’s our environment affects who we are more than anything else.
- First there is the mental environment. Do you have a positive mental attitude? Do you love and seek love? Do you believe?
- Then there is the physical environment. You are in a petri dish. What’s the culture like? Is it wholesome? Energizing? How’s it affecting your performance?
- When things can’t grow anymore on their own they have to collaborate.
- It’s collaboration and cooperation… not competition that drives evolution.
Now think about how those six thoughts apply to the whole. To your family culture? Your company culture?
How is energy generated at your company? Is it generated by stress? Some stress is a good thing. It’s why we work out. Too much stress results in overuse, injuries, resentment. Too much stress is energy depleting and not sustainable. As Joseph Campbell said “Work can be a life draining affair.”
Is the energy generated by engagement at work? Do people feel energized on their way to work? Do they still feel energized on their way home? The challenge here may be maintaining that energy level, especially in times of great external stressors or the sneaky complacency of success.
What is the mental environment at work? How do you and your employees think about the work they do? How do you try to pump up that thinking? Do you brand a thought experience to your employees? Like IBM did when it suggested everyone THINK. Or Ford did when it said Quality is Job #1. Or as Lexus says A Relentless Pursuit of Perfection. Do you have thought billboards on the walls? Everywhere? That change positions so they stay fresh?
Remember, thoughts are things.
What’s the physical environment like? Does it look like an energizing place to work? Well….does it? Is there good light, fresh air, cleanliness?
I remember working with a printing company years ago. They had 120 employees and 3 shifts working on these big Heidelberg printing presses. There was a ton of drama and shift wars going on. And the place looked like a mess. When I asked about that the CFO that brought me in justified by saying we are a printing company and they are all messy. When I asked why that was the case he didn’t seem to have a good answer. Here’s what I had them do. Over a weekend they brought in a painting and cleaning crew and extra equipment. Employees would be paid overtime if they wanted to help paint and clean. They had a clown and bounce house for kids out in the parking lot and refreshments for all.
Most employees participated even if for just a few hours each. By the end of the weekend that place looked amazing. No printing company that CFO knew of ever looked so good. And it changed the culture. Things were left tidy by each shift. The wars stopped. Customers were brought back into the shop for tours. Workers took new pride in themselves. And they had a 1.3 million turnaround in 6 mos.
Remember this: your physical environment is always communicating. It is never not communicating. So make sure it is an energy giving story.
Last thing about the “physical” environment. Each one of us is a physical environment. I have preached forever in the value of making sure your employees get very health food at work. One of the best investments you can make to build and maintain energy. If you listen to this podcast you will know why.
What’s the cultural environment feel like? How well can people grow in it? Can everyone see a growth path? Is the culture energy giving or energy draining?
How do we foster cooperation and collaboration? Slack is great but that’s just part of the equation. How do we talk about it, engineer for it and incentivize it?
Like I said an amazing conversation. Tell me what you think about it.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bulletproof-radio/id451295014?mt=2&i=374208463
and https://www.bulletproofexec.com/bruce-lipton-336/
