Leaders respect people. They respect their employees. They respect their customers. They respect their suppliers. They respect their competitors. They respect their neighbours and the community in which they operate. They respect themselves. Their intention is to look twice at relationships, impacts, and needs from the perspective of each group with whom they are involved. Respect begins with recognizing that every person who works with and for us has a sprit.

Each individual has a specific purpose in life that is their source of purpose and meaning: what brings life to them and them to life. As leaders, we have a responsibility to help each person in our workplaces to achieve his or her purpose when it is known, to uncover it when unknown, and to discover how the purpose can be uniquely experienced in this particular job in this workplace. One employer has said that it is “immoral” to do anything less. When leaders take a second, closer look, they see that the lines between groups of people blur. The leaders begin to see that although their employees serve them, they must also serve the employees. They must ensure the basics; a healthy work environment, the necessary tools in good repair, the training that is needed to do a good job, the removal of impediments to accomplishing the company’s vision and the employees’ personal purposes. The leaders serve employees and themselves best by providing an environment for creativity and an involvement in making a difference in the organization…… It is well accepted among proponents of quality programs that 95 percent of employee performance problems are caused by the system, yet it is rare that I see managers looking to themselves and the system when an employee has a problem.

Contributed by Shri N. Krishnamurthi, FA&CAO/SCR.