If you want to be the best, let others be…

Everyone wants to be the best – no doubt about this. And, everyone has a way of being or becoming the best, be it at the work place or life in general. Now, it is said that people are at their best when they are happy performing a given task – when they enjoy the task. Am forced to believe that workplaces should hence be nurturing happiness so as to ensure sustained productivity. Personal experience also tells me that happiness is directly linked to freedom.

Back in school based in Munnar, then famous for its wildlife, we were barred from cycling, especially in the tea estates. We were warned about tuskers, wild buffaloes and other possible elements that could hinder our cycling experience. When questioned about the freedom to do what one enjoyed, my dad would say that the feeling was mutual - cyclists would encroach upon the freedom of animals. As kids, we would in any case enforce our freedom – cycling to the elephant lake and trekking to the boondocks. Age brought along with it the necessary freedom and parents would just extend ‘advisories.’ “Heard there is a rogue elephant on Maduppaty Estate – be careful.” None of us would go anywhere close to that estate as we had seen and heard enough about the consequence of bumping into a rogue elephant. The ‘advisory’ or ‘direction’ worked well for us. We could extend our freedom to a vast expanse and be happy.

Going by the attitude of today’s youngsters at work, organizations better apply the same logic. This is especially true in a people-centric business where business is awarded to best consultants and not the best-known ones, where clients seek talent, not firm names and where competition for new projects is not between firms, but between people and their ideas. We all know ideas can flow from anywhere in the organization. Remember the success of Post-it? The point is everyone in an organization is capable and can contribute significantly to the growth of it. It is just that everyone in an organization should believe in others; be tolerant of the way others accomplish a specific task. Be kind and helpful. Above all, proactively try and nurture an ecosystem for happiness. According to leadership expert, Dee Hock, “There is never a time when our knowledge, judgment and wisdom are not more useful and applicable than that of another. There is never a time when the knowledge, judgment and wisdom of another are not more useful and applicable than ours. At any time that "other" may be superior, subordinate, or peer.”

Every employee is a leader in one way or the other and hence it is important to note what Dee Hock says, “a true leader cannot be bound to lead, a true follower cannot be bound to follow.” The moment they are bound they are no longer leader or follower. If the behavior of either is compelled, whether by force, economic necessity, or contractual arrangement, the relationship is altered to one of superior/subordinate, manager/employee, master/servant, or owner/slave. All such relationships are materially different from leader/follower.”