One of My Life Principles- People Make the World Go Round

Reflecting on my two decades as a corporate executive, one thing that was constant are the insights gained on the journey. One of my life guiding principles which translated into my career and now motherhood-- "people make the world go round".  I worked with multiple companies in various industries across countries which enabled me to collaborate with a diverse group of people.  More than any skill or functional area I mastered, I feel that learned the most from people. 

I always say no matter how advanced our technology becomes, at the end of the day, the world does not function without people.  People read what we write, people buy products/services we sell, people make decisions, people fly on planes, people buy homes, people drive the growth/decline in numbers, people eat food, etc.  I think you get the gist, no artificial intelligence or robots can do that! 

Lakshmi's Learnings- How does that translate to how we can raise our children? I always say to my kids- please always

• be your true self even when you are the different one (the world needs your authenticity because are awesome, be proud of who you are and all the amazing things that make you, you)
• be kind to people and show respect (treat them how you want to be treated)
• be curious, seek to understand (ask questions about what they like, where they are from, etc and you share too)
• know that every interaction is a learning moment (it's not only fun, it is insightful and helps us grow)

What I think has happened over time is what we have unintentionally OR intentionally (depending on your perspective), devalued the power of people.  We have taken each  other for granted AND more over, we do not always treat people the way we want to be treated.  In the corporate world, sometimes we are so focused on the tasks and the results versus recognizing/engaging with the people we need to achieve them. 

When I became a sales executive leading a large team, both the function of sales and the pharmaceutical industry were new to me.  How wonderful- a new functional area and a new industry- ingredients for win win, right? :-)  I had to lead a team to be the best they can be so we can win together.  So- what did I do?  I focused on one of my guiding principles- getting to know my team and then focus on the work.  This was not a "one time deal", learning about the people on my team was ongoing and it fueled my energy to be the best leader I could be!  I am glad I followed my life principle!  Because of the team, we were the #1 region in the country for years! :-) The power of the people!

 Bringing it back to our children.  This is the same concept I am teaching my daughters- respect, seek to understand, learn, and enjoy!  Embracing the insights you gain from others evolves you as an individual.  Always remember that "people make the go around" and with that, we are creating a more inclusive tomorrow and raising global citizens.