It’s time for a
little homespun philosophy. There is a
joke that has been circulating of late on the web:
“If we are put on the earth to help others, what are
the others put here for?”
Very amusing I
have no doubt, but at the risk of being considered irretrievably anal, perhaps
there is a grain of truth there.
If we, that is all
of us, are put here to help others the implication is that we alternate between
being a helper and being helped.
That is one way to
look at it but we could also say that some of us are natural helpers and some
of us are naturally helped or are even helpless.
There is growth in
the help market these days; community work, volunteering in all its forms,
sports clubs, committees, food banks, they all contribute to the helping environment.
Cynics tend to
decry these people as do-gooders and what is wrong with that description? Is it not better to do good to someone or
something than to do nothing and metaphorically walk on the other side of the street?
It is remarkable
that when dreadful things happen some people do just that and don’t want to be involved
while others immediately risk life and limb to help.
So perhaps some of
us are natural helpers whenever the occasion arises and sometimes when it
doesn’t.
The traditional
shape of business is that of a triangle with the apex pointing upwards.
At the top resides
the leader whose word is law and is handed down to the rough peasantry to do
the mater’s bidding.
Theoretically
there are layers of management throughout the business but in the end, the direction
is handed down from on high and is not for discussion, only for implementation.
There are still
many businesses that operate under this format even though it has long been
discredited as an authoritarian regime that takes away all initiative from the
people.
Ideally, the triangular
business model is still appropriate but in this case with the apex pointing
downwards.
The top line is
the people in the business who interface with the markets and the customers or
clients.
At the bottom therefore
is the leader whose simple approach is that of support for the whole organisation
and the people in it.
The leader’s
question should always be:
“What help to you need from me to enable you to do
your job even better?
I heard on the
radio yesterday a wonderful person who had helped to evolve a set of workable
and acceptable rules for an organisation and when asked how he was intending to
implement these rules, he said:
“I am just Santa’s little helper. The people will implement them and I will contribute if I’m asked”
Another adage I
saw recently said;
“Great leaders appoint great people and then get out
of their way” the
implication being that they are there to help rather than interfere.
Add to that an
overall layer of kindness; of wanting to show the people that they are
valued, that they are considered to be competent, that their contribution is
essential to the success of the enterprise and that the organisation is not one
person but all of us.
The more that the
people are offered unencumbered help, the more likely they are to offer it it
to others who may also need it, either on a occasional basis but sadly sometimes
permanently.
There are some
strata of society that will always need to be helped and, thank heaven, there
are many people who are happy to take on this responsibility.
It is not a matter
for government; it is a matter for those inherently kind and understanding
people who are prepared to offer the help to those in real need.
May they go in
peace and be enabled to do their work without cynicism or rancour. They are the real team of Santa’s Little
Helpers.
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