Heartbeats of gangs in business

One study in the United States showed that even when a pair of strangers had never met before and not talking, they still liked each other more if both simply walked in the same direction together rather than in different direction. In the same perspective, business cases showed that when a business leader is able to influence workers to move in a common business direction then it creates a common heartbeat to achieve the business objective.

“Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces”-King Solomon of Israel

Therefore, if your business is falling apart faster than your ability to stabilise it then review your association and sources of business advise. You need to flow with gang whose heartbeats move them in the direction of both personal and business success.

Another study discovered that married couples that commute in the same direction rather than different direction are more satisfied with their relationships.

The responsibility of business leader, among others, is to direct corporate movement, identify and communicate on common heartbeat among her gang in the business operations.  A leader must be able to ask question such as “What are my work team members common driving impulse?” what is my workers common heartbeat that when satisfied will influence them towards corporate direction?”

Direction is important to success in life and business. It means path on which both intrinsic and physical energy is focus to achieve success.  A business leader’s responsibility is to recognise these sources of motivation.  An example is Daystar Christian centre, a faith based organisation in Lagos south west Nigeria. Its organisation direction is “raising role models in the society”. The leadership effort is simply to help align people experiences to general heartbeats, which are to live purposefully, succeed, and become role model in the society.  In the last twenty years, Daystar has improved on helping many workers and volunteers to experience their heartbeat for success in businesses and fulfilment in private life. I am a product of Daystar’s corporate vision and I remain grateful.

Business leaders should realise that her private heartbeat to achieve business success is dependent on how she cares about the heartbeats of an average employee in her organisation. What really are the driving impulse of an average worker that business leaders need to improve on? This is important because a sync heartbeat is the unifying force of both entrepreneur and his gang success in any venture.

Upward mobile workers in organisations are quick to resign their position the moment the business managers threaten their career focus. Few years ago, I read in one of the globally recognised recruitment portal the feedback of employees of a Nigeria top five bank on how their career focus were threatened by distractive activities and targets. They claimed that been involved in distractive activities and using such basis for their promotion appraisal against their job functions for which they have been employed is eroding their confidence in the bank.

Conversely, we got feedback from same set of people satisfied with volunteer works in faith based organisation. Why do a lot of young people flock into faith base organisations to volunteer their time, skill, and spend personal money to achieve these organisations objective? The simple answer, among others, is that it connects with their heartbeat for fulfilment. They see themselves involve in work that transform human lives, improve community and put smile on people’s faces.

As business leader, you must recognise the fact that many of these young volunteers in the faith based organisations working with your business sector still hold this belief and have the heartbeats to touch lives through products and services. A smart business leader will leverage on that belief system. This strategy is what many entrepreneurs, such as Bill Gate, have adopted to connect with the heartbeats of their employees. The workers generate the wealth in Microsoft Corporation that is touching lives of poor in many parts of the world via the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation. The workers know this and proud of it.

My advice for entrepreneur is that rather than throwing out salary figures you should show case career development programs and social responsibilities that connect with the heart beat of workers.

As a business leader, if you will retain your best talent then you need to impress upon them that you recognise and intend to meet their heartbeat for career development and reward their contribution to the enterprise. When you constantly improve on these then your organisation image will likely attract good talents to drive growth.

Lastly, dear gang, my encouragement is for you to tap into the common heartbeat of workers who make things happen for your business and leverage on it to motivate them into unleashing their creative powers for your organisation. Everywhere in the world, the desire to maintain focus, make progress in career, find fulfilment in life and get rewarded for effort are common heartbeats of workers.

 

Victor Mamora