The Mindfulness Blog

Why are so many people-oriented initiatives so widely ignored by our leaders? The business world (of which law firms are definitely a part) has recently been taking its cues from the political world (with the notable exception of Disneyworld) and, respectfully, it hasn't been good for business-- it most definitely has not been good for the women and men who make up the business world.

I can't help but wonder, why? How has the critical importance of the individual become so compromised? When did the business world lose interest in the "little guy"? Those frankly head-scratching questions, cry out for an answer-- and they demand a response. That is, if any of us "little guys" ever start demanding answers!

Reason (rational inquiry and response) has been widely celebrated as the moving force behind the ascendancy of mankind.
Remember the so-called "Age of Reason"? Curiously, however, that glorious faculty of reason has been compromised by many leaders in the business world, in favor of alternative priorities (like maximizing partner compensation) that would seem to conflict with what reason-- and plain old common sense-- might otherwise suggest.

One obvious priority that any rational person should recognize and immediately address, is worker wellbeing-- that is, any rational person who is not unduly influenced by alternative priorities that are likely to destroy the long-term interests of the entity he/she serves.

I'm all for examining key performance indicators ("KPI's") and considering their importance to the short-term success of a business, but not where they undermine or contradict the one indicator that counts most-- the wellbeing of the individuals who are ultimately responsible for long-term success of the business venture.

Remember not to lose sight of the forest, for the trees!