There lives within every individual a power, an energy, an incandescence of spirit that is being constantly held in check, like a dimmer switch turned way down.

A lifetime of being told: "we are nothing special; to stand out is egotistic and wrong; to conform is necessary; to be different is bad; the collective good must be served even to the determent of our own being; we must support; we must never defy; to question authority is inherently evil; the majority is always right; don't rock the boat;" -- creates an habitual thought pattern of lassitude, often leaving us without any sense of our ability to make a substantial difference and therefore with no real sense of urgency.

Surely it is in the best interest of every organization, every corporation to instill in it's employees a sense of pride, in the organization, in the work force and in themselves. People who are encouraged to take a long hard look at what their company is all about, at what it does to make a difference in the community, the country and the world, will begin to develop a sense of being a valuable part of something important, something worthwhile.

Creating this attitude goes beyond the publication of an idealized mission statement as so often proudly displayed in the lobby for the enlightenment of visitors. The organization must walk its talk to create employee buy in. Pride and loyalty are founded on belief and trust.

When the people at the top believe in the organization and it's people, demonstrating confidence in and respect for every employee, this attitude is emulated all down the line. This is the starting point for taking leadership from the top floor to the shop floor.

Pride in the organization is a starting point. When people are coached and mentored to look objectively at the roles they play within their company and the roles played by their fellow workers, they will learn to recognize that no company can achieve success or make a substantial difference without the effort and contribution of every employee -- including themselves.

When people are proud of their company and of the difference it makes, when they are proud of the accomplishments of their fellow workers, when they are proud of their personal input to the process or product, they must automatically become happier, better, more productive, engaged, workers and they will in turn encourage each other to be even more proud, happy and productive.

When such people are given the freedom to seek out and implement meaningful change, to work together to make a better world, to grow personally and professionally, to sometimes make mistakes and to learn from them, people power becomes an almost limitless force for growth. The incandescent spirit becomes a burning passion for achievement.

What do you suppose happens to the bottom line?

Len McNally is President and founder (in 1996) of The Leadership Centre, dedicated to leadership development, management team building and change management through executive and corporate coaching - from the top floor to the shop floor. With more than thirty years experience in sales, marketing and business development Len has for many years been an avid student of psychology, behavior and motivation. He still reads three to four books a month and has writen several book reviews for Amazon.com. He can be reached at (519) 759-1127 or email: the.leadership.centre@sympatico.ca. Other articles may be seen at: http://www.tlc-leadership.com

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