by Liz Richardson, C3MD Vice President & COO/Co-Founder, Indigo Ink
July marks the beginning of the 3rd quarter where this year at C3MD we are focusing on the Conscious Capitalism Pillar of Conscious Culture. Because we are taking the month of July off and do not have a scheduled program, I thought it would be a good opportunity to write a blog post sharing my thoughts and experience round this topic. Of the 4 Pillars of Conscious Capitalism, conscious culture is the one that carries the most meaning for me personally and professionally as it relates to one of my main purposes in life – “to create and foster a healthy workplace culture.” As an entrepreneur and business owner at Indigo Ink, I want this for myself, and I want this for everyone else, too. Another great way I’ve heard it said is “to provide the enabling conditions for people to lead the most enriching lives they can.” This is a far cry from ping pong tables and cocktail hours (we have had both). Those kinds of perks, fun activities, and generous benefits can be great, but they have very little to do with a truly meaningful and healthy work-life experience.
What does a healthy workplace culture look and feel like? I personally don’t think there is a one size fits all description or model, but for me, it looks a little bit like this…
- A place where everyone is given regular opportunity to share and participate in open dialog and communication,
- where everyone (and I mean everyone) feels heard,
- where diverse experiences, opinions, and ideas are valued and considered… and everyone knows how they are contributing to the whole and sees how they are making a meaningful difference…
- where there is a shared sense of community and belonging. (I can’t overstate this point enough).
Are we at Indigo Ink there yet? Not quite. However, we have made meaningful progress and with every day that goes by, a clearer picture emerges of the future we are striving to create. One big lesson I’ve learned along the way is that it is a team effort – like playing in a really good jam band.
I’ll be the first to admit this work is hard…one never really “arrives” – healthy culture seems to always be a work in progress, which can feel frustrating for a perfectionist “creative type” like me.
It seems to me the biggest challenge for us, and I suspect the wider community as well, is simply believing that a truly meaningful workplace is possible – mainstream culture seems to say otherwise – and that this can be the norm for anyone who chooses to create it.
It all starts with Believing.
Join us for our August meeting on workplace culture featuring Kristoffer “KC” Carter, author and spiritual teacher at the intersection of consciousness and business!
Conscious Coffee: 8 a.m. Tuesday, August 17th