What Does “Business Mindful” Mean?

Over the course of my years in senior tech leadership, I’ve experienced the joy of pulling together a well-functioning team, and the horrors of having it blown apart. In the various places I’ve been employed, I’ve found that most people want to be managed in a particular way. I’ve found that associates will show more dedication and put in extra effort when certain attitudes and cultures are put in place. The satisfaction in having curated and worked in those circumstances makes it even more aggravating when I see other organizations not investing in the same – or while espousing the support and need for such an organization, continues to tolerate behavior that yields the opposite. 

I believe that most organizational leaders want the same things:

• High performing teams that work well with other high performing teams
• Associates who show dedication to the cause of the organization
• Associates who espouse positive influence within the organization and community
• An organization whose positive and effective culture is so well known that recruiting for new employees is relatively easy
• Associates that show a concern and stewardship for the health of the organization, both fiscally, politically and market-wise. 

“A rising tide lifts all boats” ~ John Kennedy, 1963 – also New England saying.

And while the fiscal health of the organization is the most important goal for stakeholders, it can be shown that companies that show the above traits are often some of the strongest (assuming appropriate management of resources, customers, etc.)

And so, for my own cathartic benefit I will put my thoughts into this blog, like so many millions of people have done for other topics, with the hope that someone stumbling across it in search of a few nuggets of, say, wisdom might find some use in it.

And I don’t want to omit that I’m happy to have guest columnists and feedback on the articles because certainly I haven’t experienced everything and I am always looking for advice and direction from those more successful than I. 

So let’s be Business Mindful, which really means mindful of all aspects of your business, while being most mindful of your staff.

~ Bill