This blog post has been authored by Engracia Sleeswijk, ESleeswijk Consultancy
Within societies around the world, laws have been put in place to ensure that societies function. Based on an ideology, laws have been instituted to regulate, for example, a democracy. Other forms are that of communism, where one starts from the doctrine of classless and socialist achievement. Whatever your thoughts are regarding these doctrines’ pros or cons, the functionality of enacting a law as an instrument to regulate still stands.
Many are inclined to follow the rules, even if it is for the primary intention not to be confronted with the consequences of not following the law. It is with a sense of choice. Within the structure of rules, there is always a higher law overriding the lower one’s application. Here, the higher law principle applies: This is a principle of divine or moral law that is considered superior to constitutions and enacted legislation.
The beginning of this beautiful year is an excellent time to reflect on the higher values that make a professional human and effective at the same time. Experiencing adversity can awaken a “me first” principle. However, this principle is a lower form and causes a higher principle of cooperation to fail.
Dehumanizing others to achieve your goal is unwise at any time. We can draw from history where the egoism of one party meant the devastation of the other. As a free world, we have chosen to learn from history and therefore see any action– that attacks our values to be terrorism —a commendable creed to live by.
In the business world, dealing with uncertainty, the “me first”-attitude can lead to chaos, farther from the principles we all say we hold dear. A professional may say that it is the pressure of changing times that forces him to only go for himself. It will lead to a professional’s value system’s emotional erosion and will be more visible to those who experience him than himself. It is usually too late to turn the tide at this stage, and it may cause the loss of a job or a promising career. Whatever your set of principles: the choices you make will have to answer to a higher law: no one works with a professional solely focused on their benefit.
A professional can choose to turn to the higher principles mirrored in any mission statement of an organization:
– To be excellent at the service or product delivered.
– To serve the customer.
– To commit to higher principles and develop oneself.
These principles are not new to us. Conveyed as values when we were children in our social environment. Rebuild – You can always rearrange your principles to a higher law.
“There are three constants in life: change, choice, and principles” – Stephen Covey
Happy New Year!
I’ve been privileged to Teach, Coach, and help thousands of professionals and entrepreneurs to get to their sweet spot in life. I do coaching in bringing models to everyday life for you to get your future within arms-length.