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Recently, I was a
fly on the wall of a major global organisation. It was their
bi-annual key staff meeting, addressed by their head of the
African division.
As I listened to the reasons being
laid down by their leader for why more profits must be
produced, I was stuck by incredible the
similarity of our past slavery practices.
There were a few
differences. These current day slaves had nice clothes, they
were well fed and watered, and I couldn't see the shackles
that bound them.
They were mesmerised by their
leaders' ongoing extortion that they had to meet ever
increasing targets. They had to cut costs to the bone. They
had to work harder for their rewards. They were expected
to deliver more with less.
They were expected
to perform miracles, no matter what the cost to their health,
happiness, family life or life balance. Even if it cost them
their marriage or life.
And why were they expected to
make this great sacrifice? Because the owners or overseas
shareholders expected it! They expected more money. They don't
need more money... they just want it!
What ever
happened to the human aspects of life? What ever happened to
honour, dignity, integrity, trust, care and fun?
It seems men
have lost their way. As men charge into
economic battle,
they have lost sight. They also reneged on their commitments
to integrity and their
foundation of honour. As a group we have lost our
credibility. Together we accept the despicable behaviour of
greedy little men, driven only by the value of more and more
money or power over.
Shame. Shame on
men for letting other men do this to humanity in the name of
"Good Business". In the name of business, (Read gimme more
money) we destroy rain forests, we hunt defenceless wild
animals in closely contained spaces, we fish the seas to
empty. We burn precious oxygen and waste billions of
tonnes of water. We rape, murder, pillage, plunder and
betray at every possible encounter to make more money. Those
that don't, do nothing about those who do!
Men in business have become
human traders. They trade in human energy. Just like the
matrix, most staff are viewed no more than a battery in
business. When they run out of value, discard
them. The shareholders are demanding more profits.
The
unscrupulous businesses corporate world generate profits for
themselves and very often actually destroy value over time -
often maintaining worker poverty, dependence and low self
esteem and learned helplessness.
It seem that
these "high powered" men, are really insecure, brattish,
pathetic little boys masquerading as powerful, loving,
beings created in the image of GOD.
Ask any employee
how much of their daily energy they utilise for protection
in their workplace. My research reveals an average of around
75% to 80%, just for protection! And this cultural
environment is created, driven and maintained by men.
There are time
that I am ashamed to be classified under the banner of being
a male. In south Africa we hear of 3 rapes a minute against
our women and what do we do...! Very Little.
We hear of men (Criminals) running away with millions of
other peoples money and hiding behind legal structures,
process and traps and what do we do? Very little. We hear of
child abuse and incest levels that are abhorrent. And what
do we do, we turn our face and claim it not our problem.
In business we
hear of single moms working 12 to 16 hours a day with no
support or understanding about her children. Daily we
read in papers and see in the media, the ongoing frenzy to
make more profits.
The leaders of
business have ONLY one focus in mind. MORE MONEY. Not more
Love. Not more health. Not more care. Not more support. Not
more Soul. JUST quite brutally I don't care what it
takes, make ME more money.
Stress levels
are elevated, anger runs free, rage has become the norm.
Loneliness is the foundation of the average persons life in
a business. Worthlessness is the reward. Research
revels that 60% of people level due to lack of appreciation
and recognition.
The path men
have put us on is destined for destruction, heart-attack
burn-out, loveless, trust less, dog eat dog, high pressure,
war zone, where no one cares about you when you leave.
It just seems
that no-one cares any more today. Everyone is so tied
up in hurry, scurry, make more money, that we've completely
lost sight of the whole opportunity of life.
We spend most of
our waking lives in the well named "Rat Race". We work
with people we don't necessary like, in offices we hate,
selling, promoting, supporting, making and facilitating
products and transactions that don't fit our value systems
or our integrity.
We know what we
are doing has little or no integrity, yet we continue to do
it. We talk about sustainable futures. This one isn't.
Although we will deny it, our business practises are not
very different from past slavery endeavours.
People are cajoled, manipulated, forced and
coerced in the name and disguise of motivation. They are
watched over like criminals. "Motivated" to work long hours
for their pay, often at great cost to their health,
happiness and family life. And soon traded or discarded as
soon as they loose their profit value. We can deny any
resemblance to past practices. But the truth will always be
revealed.
The way men run business, focused solely on
profits - reveals the true depth and breadth of their
character flaws. It reveals how we have destroyed trust on
almost every level.
Yet trust is the air successful
companies and teams must breathe together if they are to
have sustainability and real value.
Men have lost their connection to their most
important part- Their Heart. We need to redesign the
foundation of business and it's reason for being as we know
it. Because the way we are running business right now
is killing us in more ways than we care to consider.
Hopefully as we bring women more into
leadership positions, they will bring the feminine aspects
and balance, and not try to compete on men's poor qualities.
We need to challenge men to become
higher-ground leaders. Leaders who care less about their
wallet, and more about how we are showing up in this
incredible game called life.
Ask a few men, "whose life have you changed
or touched today"? Not with money, force or business, but
with care, love, compassion, integrity and kindness.
I ask that our children, and women, please
forgive us for what we have done, and how we have showed up
in the past. Many of us have lost our hearts and cling
feebly onto our emotionaless minds. We have betrayed
the honor of what it is to be real men - with dignity,
strength, passion and integrity.
And all of this for something that will be instantly
worthless to us as we die. Was it really worth selling
your Soul and integrity to be a forceful, "respected
(feared) businessman?
Some men actually get past this need, before they die. Will
you?
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