Despite what our political leaders
insist on telling us, we all know deep down that persistent
economic
growth is no longer an option if humankind is to survive
for very much longer on this planet. Yet it is not “growth” per
se that is a bad thing when we consider what it really
means. Growth is not about achievement, consumption,
exploitation, manipulation, survival of the fittest,
take-overs, domination, hierarchy, power or control.
This is just what we’ve been led to believe through
cultural conditioning and it is now so deeply ingrained
that few of us can even imagine a different, more life-sustaining
way of living and working.
So, if growth is not about all
of those parameters I’ve just mentioned, what
is it really? And how does this relate to our personal
and business
lives?
Signs of Life
Exchange, evolution and
renewal. One of the definitions
of a living thing is that it grows. One of the miracles
of our human forms is that, although on a moment by
moment basis we appear to be solid, unchanging matter,
at a microscopic level we are a buzz of activity with
our cells continually exchanging matter, evolving and
renewing themselves. So, growth for a living thing
is about exchange, evolution, renewal and being part
of a natural cycle that also, eventually, includes
our demise.
In Our Personal Lives
Re-integration. In our personal lives, we are continually
open to fragmentation and contamination, physically,
socially and emotionally. Physically, we can become
fragmented and contaminated through lack of exercise,
eating unwholesome food, or being exposed to pollutants.
Socially, this can happen through spending too much
time with people with a negative outlook on life or
who behave aggressively. We might also use socialising
as a distraction or in order to manipulate others rather
than to connect with them. Emotionally, we cause fragmentation
and contamination by dwelling on grievances, bearing
grudges and maintaining limiting beliefs.
So, on a personal level, we can ensure healthy growth
by being aware of our behaviour and favouring habits
that reconnect us with positive and wholesome influences
on our physical, social and emotional wellbeing. We
can take steps to remind ourselves of our part in the
natural rhythm of life and avoid sources of physical,
mental and social contamination.
With Our Children
Modeling Healthy Growth. We can
model healthy growth for our children by living it
ourselves and by
encouraging them to do the same. For example, by eating
well, getting
plenty of exercise, steering clear of bullies (adults
or children) and spending time with others who
are caring and supportive of them. We can help them spend
some time each week in nature and to express their
gratitude for the things that have gone well, the
true
friends they’ve spent time with and the people
they love.
In Our Business Lives
Georgia wanted more than anything to grow her fledgling
organic clothing business. She had begun by searching
for business partners and associates, approaching retail
outlets, online green products directories, anyone
she could think of who might want to do business with
her. Now, she was at full capacity with her suppliers,
the working capacity of her staff and the limits of
what her mental and physical health could stand. Initially
she wanted coaching to help her take a step up to the
next level.
The next stage of growth for her
business, as she saw it, was massive expansion, but
it involved a
leap of confidence – to take on extra staff, quickly
find additional suppliers and promote herself to a
more hands off directorship role. She had held off
taking this next step and she wasn’t sure why,
but her body was telling her something. She had some
persistent low level illnesses that she just couldn’t
shake off.
When we took an audit of the company,
a kind of bird’s
eye view coupled with some reliable financial data,
we discovered that if she were to take the steps she
envisaged to grow the company (as she thought she “ought
to”) then she would be a little better off financially,
but would be spending most of her day doing tasks that
she didn’t enjoy. She would have completely
lost touch with her reasons for starting her business
and
her business mission.
Business growth, in terms of increased turnover, profit
or manpower, is not always the healthiest move, for
the company or for the business owner. A mature approach
to business growth means:
Exchange and renewal – reviewing
business and personal data on a regular basis, communicating
with and acting on messages received from clients, associates
and employees.
Re-integration – being aware
of sources of fragmentation and contamination (be they
physical pollutants,
changes in external circumstances, complaints from clients
or unhelpful behaviour and beliefs from colleagues.)
and addressing these. It also means having methods
in place for helping the business learn by adding
more
effective communication systems, more enjoyable
working conditions and continual professional development.
Through coaching, Georgia was
able to reconnect with her business purpose and reintegrate
that with her
personal aspirations. Both she and her business were
able to continue to “grow” but in a way
that was sustainable for her and her employees as
well as for the planet.
