Do you enjoy and are you inspired by the work you do? Are you proud of your employer and the contribution it makes to your community and the world-at-large? Do you feel the work you do makes a real difference in the lives of your customers, suppliers and fellow employees? Does your work contribute to sustainable peace, security, and happiness, not only for you and your family, but for the rest of humanity as well?
What if we, as members of our community and extended world family, chose to dedicate ourselves to transforming the way we educate our young, conduct commerce, and relate to our work and to one another such that one day we might honestly make the following statement:
On Work
Written by me circa 1988-89
I am somebody, and I stand for something, and I love who I am and what I have become. I get paid money for what I do, but I do not work for money. Rather I work to contribute my energy, my talent, and my love to those endeavors that express who I am and what it is I stand for. I work at my place of employment because working there gives me the opportunity to be this way.
I do not really work for my employer or my supervisor, and no one works for me. We are all working to achieve the goals, and to forward the purposes for which my company exists. My company's purpose is my purpose--that's why I work here--and my employer is here to help me be of service to you.
I exercise the authority delegated to me in order to achieve our aims and I am responsible for the results. I take pride in what I do and where I work.
I do my job honorably, which is to say, I tell the truth and my word is my bond.
I do not make promises I cannot keep and I do not pretend someone else is responsible for my mistakes. I treat everyone I know with dignity and honor, and I respect those qualities when I see that they have the courage to express that way too.
I never promise to keep secrets, because I never do anything I need to hide. Everything I do can stand the light of day. And still, I can be counted on to be appropriate in what I say and do.
If I sometimes make mistakes or fall short of my ideals, I take responsibility for what I've said or done and clean up any 'mess' that I created. I am always willing to learn from my experiences and so I am forgiving of myself and others.
I am loyal to my company and those with whom I work by being loyal to truth and honor above all else.
This is how I am and this is how I work and this is how I am with you.
