The Workplace IS Your Community!

There is a breath of fresh air in the workplace. It embodies building community at work. It doesn’t pit employees against each other. It doesn’t set up an “enemy” in the form of your competitors, other team members (or even you, the boss). It involves openness and sharing – from the top to the bottom. Sharing what your tasks are, teaming up to make sales and satisfy customers, showing genuine interest in life struggles of one another.

Human beings are basically "pack-driven." Individuals have always wanted to belong to a group. Acceptance, affirmation and approval are motivating factors. Competition doesn’t always appeal to every member on the corporate ladder. Some people are proud to do their jobs and contribute with only the acceptance of others as their reward.

For years we have attempted to build community... We have tried in our schools, but we are a disjointed society without a lot of free time to get involved in our children’s school community. We have tried in neighborhoods, but most people can’t name four families that live two doors down the street from them. We have tried in our churches, but when the most active people only attend 2-3 hours a week, you can’t build a very close, viable community.

The place we work is where we spend most of our time every week. It contains the people we interact with more than anyone else in our lives. It is the perfect breeding ground to grow community.  This includes bosses being "clued in" on what their employees actually DO day to day and leverage their talents for top performance.

You <em>can</em> take a dysfunctional group of people and build a strong community out of their talents, needs and wants that are satisfied by mixing together and pooling best skills to produce a productive office and work environment.