How to get leaders to adopt humanistic values in the workplace

When challenged with poor behaviors by leaders in power who do not ascribe to Humanistic values, what is a good way to address the behavior without  coming across as "beating the humanist drum" against the traditional top-down structures/directives and mindsets?  How can we enroll them in our perspective?

I was the guest on the International Humanistic Management Professionals Lunch and Learn last August 2019.  I spoke about how to create more effective and ethical businesses using applied Humanism, which is - also the title of my latest book. https://www.businessexpertpress.com/books/applied-humanism-how-to-create-more-effective-and-ethical-businesses/



The question of how to get managers and leaders on board with this is the question - everyone pushing for positive change faces. It doesn't matter who important the change is - people resist it - so how do we get them on board?

I have three thoughts about the question posed.

1) You can't control other people, you can only control yourself: This isn't just an organizational philosophy. It's a personal philosophy. So - live your values, even if other people do not. You don't need permission from ANYONE to behave in an ethical and dignified way. Don't let the recalcitrance of others - prevent you from being the good ethical person you want to be. In other words, live your truth. Be an example of what good ethical humanistic leaders should be - EVEN if you aren't yet in a leadership position. If you want to be in a leadership position - act like it.

2) Understand that change is hard and that even if people want to get on board - it will be hard for them to do so. Focus less on the people in your way and focus more on the people who are on board. I have always found that there are indeed people who want things to improve and if I work with them - we can make positive changes and the people who think they have the power to stop you - don't really have that power. So - don't give them that power. Look for the people who want to help - and work with them and be polite and dignified and positive with the naysayers and encourage them to join your group and be ok if they don't. That's their journey - not yours. Yours - focus on the people who are allies and work with them. Eventually - the people who were trying to stand in the way will either join you - or be unable to prevent the change you created.

Note: this is the same advice I give to kids who are being bullies. It is very easy to focus on the bully and make them the focus of your thinking. But if you step outside that - and REALLY look around - you will see there are more kids on the playground and may of them are alone and isolated too. If you can work up the courage to make friends with the isolated people - you can create a new group that the bully has no ability to control. Yes. This works.

3) Treat the naysayer with compassion. You have no idea why they think the things they do. You have no idea what they have experienced. What disappointments they have experienced. What bullying situations they have endured. Don't assume you do. And don't assume you know who these people are or what they are thinking.  If you are speaking to them - instead of insisting on your way - why not ask them questions so that you can better understand them and their way?  And yes - I do have a course on this called - Socratic Jujitsu - https://humanistlearning.com/socratic-jujitsu/

Don't beat the humanist drum. Act like a Humanist, which means - you don't try to convince people you are right, you try to create - collaboration. The other person's resistance - is valid - to them. Find out what they want and help them get that - and they will become your biggest fan.

Honestly, the only time I have trouble with people is when I have bypassed people and not included them in a collaboration. And sometimes you have to do that - but don't assume you do - until you give them a chance to work positively with you.  Just - don't give them all your time. Reward people who are behaving positively with your positive attention. When the negatives try to get your attention - give them your compassionate attention - and encourage them to join you - but give them time. Eventually - they usually come around. It's rare that they won't. So don't write them off - but don't nag them either.

Hope this helps.   I have an online certificate program in Humanistic Leadership if you want to learn these skills - and yes - the socratic jujitsu course is included in the certificate program - https://humanistlearning.com/certified-humanistic-leadership-professional/

How to improve empathy in the workplace

Why is improving empathy in the workplace important? 

Most people want to work in caring workplaces where they feel accepted and as a valued member of the team.   Empathy – helps us connect to one another and is one way to help encourage that feeling of connectedness we all desire and that helps work teams collaborate more effectively.

How do you effectively improve empathy throughout your workplace? 

One way is to make space and time for people to bring their whole selves and share their joys and sorrows as a team. This takes an amazing amount of trust.  This is why it’s probably better to start by having conversations about dignity and compassion.  What does it mean to treat colleagues with dignity and compassion?  What does it mean to treat customers with dignity and compassion?  Once a dignity and compassion mindset has taken root – you will find that levels of empathy have naturally increased as you are making caring – a regular part of the workplace conversation and expectations.  Empathy should grow naturally once the conditions have been set for it.

What steps do you take to help employees improve empathy if it doesn't come naturally to them?

You don’t. Part of having empathy is understanding that everyone is wired differently. And that’s ok. It is wrong to try and make a fish climb a tree. If empathy doesn’t come naturally to someone – trying to force them to be empathetic – is rather cruel. All an employer can and should do – is create the conditions in which ethical and caring behavior can grow. Those that want that level of motivation in their lives – with take that on. Those who don’t want that or are not naturally inclined won’t. But an empathetic workplace makes equal space for everyone and doesn’t shame people for people for not being exactly like everyone else. Which is why – focusing on dignity and compassion – will get your further than an emphasis on compassion.

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I teach humanistic management and am the author of the new book – Applied Humanism: How to create more ethical and effective businesses.

You can check out my online courses or hire me to do a training for your staff here - https://humanistlearning.com/category/businesscourses/

And learn about my new book here: http://humanisthappiness.blogspot.com/2019/08/my-new-management-book.html

Managing Older People

How to handle managing people who are older than you? It's an issue some of millennial have dealt with. A lot of this is about respect. This is what humanistic management and leadership is all about.

If there isn’t respect, the relationship won’t work. Doesn’t matter if it’s an older person managing a younger person or a younger person managing an older person.  The manager has to respect the employee or the relationship will be bad.

We are all different. We all have different experiences, knowledge bases and biases. Older people experienced different things than younger people did. They have different fears. But we are all still human and our basic emotional toolkit is the same regardless.

When managing someone, you have to find out what scares them and what excites them and how they as an individual need to be respected. Without knowing that, you won’t be a good manager. And again, it doesn’t matter what your age is – this is about getting to know the individual and not making assumptions about them.

If your staff member makes assumptions about you – fine. Don’t compound that mistake by making assumptions about them. Take the time to get to know them and respect their experience and what they know and have learned along the way. That way – you can utilize all the skills they bring to the table. That’s good management.

https://humanistlearning.com/generationaldivide/ 

Humanism Counts

There is a great article on LinkedIn on the value of humanism in the workplace that I want to share with you.

It’s author is Bob Aubrey, a leadership development professional with several books out. He critiques Amazon’s lack of humanistic management and contrasts it with Alibaba. His conclusion? Humanism counts.  See: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/humanism-counts-alibaba-vs-amazon-bob-aubrey

According to Bob – “Amazon has gone dangerously off-track for a twenty-first century company where a humanistic workplace culture is just common sense.”  It’s no longer acceptable to hire masses of people, grind them up and spit them out when they burn out.

He contrasts this with Alibaba, an Asian company with twice the sales of Amazon. Alibaba prioritizes customers, but then puts its employees second. The shareholders come third.  His investors don’t seem to mind that employees matter more than they do.  Another thing Alibaba does is it gives .3% of its income away to make the world a better place. In fact, the reason they are in business is to make the world a better place.

Where the employment philosophy of Amazon appears to be Social Darwinism, the employment philosophy of Alibaba is Social Responsibility. The leaders talk about their company as if it’s an ecosystem. As dependent on their clients and customers as they are their employees and their partners. Their business works because they all work together. If one part of the interrelated dynamic fails, they all fail.

This isn’t to say that autonomy isn’t important. It is. However, that autonomy is embedded in the social structure of our society and the businesses we work for. Pretending that the individuals don’t matter, all that matters is the bottom line is, incredibly shortsighted.

Humans matter in business.  The humans that are your customers matter. The humans who run your business matter. And the humans your business partner with matters. Without humans, you have no business. Recognizing that is just good business.