The value of incorporating ancient practices into the modern workplace

There is no doubt that 2020 has thrown leaders and workplaces multiple curveballs. Due to COVID-19, the majority of us have been forced to change the way we live our lives. To slow down. To spend more time reflecting than ever before. To be still. 

If you ask me, this global pandemic has acted as a bit of a wake-up call — to warn us about the danger of losing valuable knowledge and old ways of thinking as an unintended consequence of the fast-paced lives most of us lead on a day-to-day basis. 

Does it really matter how you sit down for a meeting with your colleagues?

In my work, I often use this question as an ice breaker because for most people, the obvious answer to this question is ‘no’. However, when we delve deeper and look to the past, we see how indigenous cultures across the globe have used the circle as an ideal way to get people seeing eye-to-eye. Watch the below video to learn more.

So how can we mimic this way of organising meetings in a world where we are using online video conferencing tools like Zoom more than ever? Where the pandemic may have paved the way for online meetings to replace face-to-face catch-ups, particularly where travel is involved. Here are some ideas to use when creating a circle in a meeting is not possible (for example, on a Zoom call): 

Share a story of ceremony and tradition: draw on a story when you’ve asked people to sit in circles. Share the impact this has had when facilitating meetings in the past.

Share pictures of workshops where people have sat in a circle and explain the significance of a circle as a symbol of unity and engagement. On the other hand, explain how a rectangle symbolises instruction and information. Ask people to share their own experiences with feeling like they were placed in a circle or rectangle.

Hold smaller breakout rooms to enable people to connect more intimately. Before the session ends, unite the group as one again to recap.

Ask people to draw on their imagination and metaphorically gather around a camp fire. Speaking of camp fires…

Remember: people connect through stories. Aboriginal people sat around the camp fire to tell stories — storytelling forms the basis of human interaction and leads people towards contemplating human possibility without any barriers.

Why it’s important for everyone within an organisation to have an equal voice

We all have a unique perspective. When attempting to shift culture, all perspectives require an equal voice. This means that every team member — from the CEO to entry level positions — should have an opportunity to bring their gifts and strengths to the table. When leaders communicate that every person’s perspective matters, this causes unexpected ripple effects, which strengthen organisations and ultimately, their bottom line. The outcomes often far outreach the best intended pre-prescribed goals.

Increasing our sense of connectedness 

We are all links in the same chain. Our survival depends on our ability to understand the basic principles of both cause and effect — and to live accordingly. During my first visit to a remote Aboriginal community in Queensland, Australia, I met an elder who drew a picture of two trees to represent two independent structures. He then proceeded to draw a network of interconnected roots below the surface to represent that we are all connected. He finished by saying: if I hurt, you hurt. The elder then pointed towards a need to go back to the old ways where we appreciate how everything is beautifully and systematically connected. Every living cell has a role in our survival. 

I’ll leave you with this question:

Are you actively appreciating how everything in life is connected? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.

To learn more about my work, go to: www.dynamicexchange.com.au