A legacy mindset

We often say that we need to invest in a new mindset if we want to achieve positive changes in our behavior. So I'm faced with the question, what do we have set in our minds about our relationship with work?

It's fair to say that for those of us with some years work experience, our development has been deeply influenced by what are now increasingly-outdated leadership models and mindsets. Even in the most dynamic, forward-thinking companies, there is so much that is still built on an Industrial Age legacy: The focus of management is the process by which work gets done, rather than the customers, the product, or the people, and efficiency is king. The company sees people as a source of labor and people see the company as a source of income. There is a tension between these two forces so we come to some sort of understanding that allows us to get by, and hopefully at times, achieve something useful. This model may meet the minimum standard, but it isn’t particularly inspired and doesn’t provide much excitement for anyone involved. I increasingly believe there is a much more beautiful arrangement possible for work today.

In many cases there's this feeling or assumption that people come to work, do their thing and then go home to get on with their lives. But most of our lives, the day to day hours and the majority of our adult years in life, are spent at work!

Too often there is a polarity between work and life, which creates a dehumanization of work – and the workplace becomes a kind of inauthentic place where we put on our what’s-expected-of-me selves and make the most of it, before retreating somewhere else for some much needed “work-life balance.”

Instead, what if we choose to make work a place where we bring our whole selves, where we live our life and make our life count for something great??

Take Roche as an example. We have ~100,000 people who spend their lives here (that’s not an exaggeration); each person represents a priceless investment of time, energy, creativity -- of life. That life investment shouldn’t be squandered by bureaucratic delays, by hierarchical obstacles, by chopping roles up into robot-sized pieces.?

When we start with the expectation that everyone is an owner -- that everyone has the opportunity to observe a need or opportunity, to consider, and to make a decision and act -- then we unleash something incredibly powerful. We move to a space where people can bring their 'whole self' to work, own their contribution and find greater fulfilment in work.