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I remember in my twenties complaining to my mother about how stressed I was.  She looked at me as if I had landed from Mars.  She asked skeptically: “What exactly do you have to be stressed about?”  I don’t remember what I answered but she told me that, not once living through the London Blitz of WWII did any one stop to complain about stress.  The whole concept was completely foreign to her.

I mean really . . . what is all the whining about?  I am sure if we were living from hand to foot we wouldn’t be complaining about engagement, recognition, sense of accomplishment or self actualization. Let’s face it we are very fortunate to be able to discuss these issues at all.  This employee engagement stuff . . . maybe it is just a bunch of self centered boomers complaining?

What I have written has a ring of truth about it and I am sure some would like to believe that “engagement” has no real place in the work environment.  I was thinking as I was getting my passport picture taken, (see short video below) just how removed the individual is in this whole process.  You just sit there and you know it is going to be a terrible shot and there is nothing you can do to change it.  Reminds me Frederick W. Taylor, the “father” of  Scientific Management.  Or even better, Charlie Chaplin in his classic “Modern Times”.  Humans are just a cog in the wheel of machinery and efficiency. How “real” the output is irrelevant.

As I have started collecting data on how we define success, it is clear that we want so much more than material things and success is not simply about achieving results.  Here are a few reasons why employee engagement is in fact essential:

• The only difference ultimately between one endeavor or another is the quality of the people involved.
• Human beings are the last untapped natural resource.
• Since we are all in this together, we had better start working together in alignment.
• Two heads are actually better than one – unless they are sitting on the the same shoulders.
• Most individuals do want to be a part of something bigger and make a meaningful contribution
• We had better figure this one out if we want to create a sustainable world.
• There aren’t many chances left to get it right so we had better start working together.

Then the results will take care of themselves and the final picture will look pretty good – I bet.

Miep Gies passed away on January 11th at the age of 100.  Her claim to fame was being known as a “helper” of Anne Frank.  I read the obituary of all places on the news channel on my Wii.  There was this quote from Gies that I find one of the most profound things that I have read in a while:

“I am afraid that if people feel that I am a very special person, a sort of heroine, they may doubt whether they will do the same I once did. Not many consider themself very talented or courageous and thus would refrain from helping endangered people. This the reason that I want everyone to know that I am a very common and cautious woman and definitely not a genius or dare-devil. I did help like so many others who ran the same or more risk than me. It was necessary so I helped.”

Human beings seem to want heroes – someone that we can look up to.  When we are young, we are asked at school,  “Who is your hero?”  I remember thinking that my mother was my hero – and in those days I did think she was practically perfect.  Unfortunately when someone is on a pedestal all that is likely is that they will fall, even our parents.  And how we love to find out all the details when they do fall. (One only has to think of Tiger Woods as  the latest scandal celebrities who has come crashing to earth.) It reminds us that each and everyone of us is only human.  We are not perfect and we have our flaws.  We need to distinguish between making someone the ultimate role model and instead identify those individuals who are modeling the behaviour that is truly courageous.

“Helping people who are in danger is not a matter of courage but from making a decision that every human being has to make in his life when he or she distinguishes between good and bad.”

Perhaps not ordinary times but, certainly, Gies and her colleagues were ordinary people. Their actions changed the lives of not only those they hid but they directly influenced the lives of people all over the world.  They did what needed to be done.  They knew immediately the difference between good and bad.  Today, I am not so sure that this is the case.  What is the right decision?  Beyond the complexities of misinformation and “confusing” ethics we somehow have sidelined character. It may mean listening to our heart. It may be responding to our gut.  Wherever you feel it in your own body – you will know and you will know if you have listened or not.

Geis is right – it is about making a decision and acting.  Some days when I am feeling pessimistic, I worry that inaction will become the norm.  However, most days I feel uplifted by our humanity.  The response to the recent crisis is Haiti is a good example.  We want to be helpers and do good.

“It is always better to try than to do nothing, because not trying secures complete failure.”

How many times have we read this sentiment? Influence, recognition and power are not true motivators. I believe we all have a basic human need to help others and do the right thing.  Sometimes it is good to be reminded.  What is necessary for you to be doing today?

To all the helpers — Thank you.

“I am not a hero but did what I seemed necessary at the time.”

The quotes used here come from the Miep Gies website.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Rare courage (news.bbc.co.uk)  Please see this short slide show.
• Anne Frank’s Protector (learning.blogs.nytimes.com)