We all have one home and we need to be grateful and look after our country. What is profoundly evident is that we need a sense of "togetherness" for this.
Polarising behaviour and efforts to divide the nation through ruptures of race, colour and creed will ultimately ruin us. Yet, all Malaysians have similar aspirations for harmony, freedom, security and a clear path to happiness. For this to happen, we need to come together and stand united.
At modern workplaces, this is exactly what is required.
Whenever people come together, they will naturally organise themselves. Some will set the tone and lead, while others will follow. Hierarchical structures form and traditionally, this is how organisations evolve. You probably work in this type of environment right now.
However, through my work with high-performing startups and progressive corporate entities, in today's world everyone wants to make their own decisions. There is a demand for more autonomy, inclusiveness in decision-making, buy-in from everyone in a company and clear vision.
I can attest that when companies get this right, their entire operations become incredibly efficient, they experience exponential growth and frequently surpass targets.
Isn't this what we want for Malaysia, too?
You begin approaching "togetherness" at your workplace by having open and honest communication. This increases transparency and equity. At the core, it is the hallmark of a great place to work. When a person has a problem, invariably it always boils down to a lack of transparency or a feeling of injustice.
In our nation, this is what divides us. When there is a trust deficiency, the country loses its efficiency and competitive edge. When people feel like they have been unfairly treated, they lose buoyancy and drive.
At offices the world over, a new work culture is being formed.
Just following the "alpha male" is quickly getting out of fashion. Every employee is being valued for their own strengths. The aim is to establish cooperation at a level of parity. Many companies are realising that classic forms of hierarchy are becoming redundant. Millennials are leaving for jobs in organisations that have a flat reporting structure.
So fundamentally, leaders have to re-evaluate and rethink their purpose and role.
It is clear that people who define themselves through their position or the title that has been given to them, do not necessarily command the leadership respect they need to direct a group of people.
Leaders who are successful focus on individual employees and assist them to increase their strengths. This job is independent of any hierarchical structure. The modern world demands more flexible and agile workers. And every employee becomes a leader, even without a title.
You know that work processes are growing in complexity, and collaboration is the only way forward. This is why you need togetherness to perform tasks well and deal with challenges.
A few strong people ordering the rest of the pack is eventually not conducive to achieve organisational goals because it ignores the strengths and also the needs of each individual.
Corporations are understanding this and most Malaysians are also waking up to this reality.
Organisations need to structure themselves in a way that allows their employees to act autonomously. This enables happy team members who function well together. And, in turn, this significantly boosts the efficiency and cohesion of the work.
Every business owner wants their staff to be happy from the start but that's often not the case. Different personalities, levels of experience or length of time in the company can impact the dynamics.
Togetherness requires conscious and sustained effort.
Things that may have been insignificant in the past have become important now. For example, the way an office is laid out can really affect the sense of togetherness within a team. Offices that make everyone feel like part of one big team achieve better consistency.
When employees from different departments see and hear what others do day-to-day, it builds more of an understanding of the business as a whole. When none of the leaders have separate plush offices, and everyone sits together, the team simply connects at a better level. This is evident in so many of the companies that I consult for.
Keeping everyone in the loop makes a dramatic difference. I know of a client who religiously holds weekly company-wide meetings where anything big going on is shared. They discuss things like product changes, monthly targets, and have successfully created an environment where anyone can share ideas safely. The meetings ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what's going on.
Importantly, they keep the meetings relevant, short and fun. And everyone, from the chief executive officer to the cleaner, turns up, and is held accountable. So, at the workplace, active effort must be made to bring people together.
Similarly, as citizens, let's stay and stand together with mindfulness and a sense of gratitude, then the true spirit of Malaysia comes alive.
