Buddhists have a view of work as "Right Livelihood".
"According to the ancient scripture, the Dhammapada, Right Livelihood is said to be '
in tune with increasing helpfulness for beings and decreasing harmfulness.'" - from Awakenening the Buddha Within, by Lama Surya Das.
My purpose through my work is to help make workplaces more humane. I accomplish this in two ways. Through career coaching, I help people find careers that really fit for them, where they can put their strengths to work. Through leadership coaching, I help leaders develop their people-leadership skills, to become appreciative of other's perspectives and strengths, and to deal with others in respectful and humane ways, while accomplishing results together.
When people find work that fits for them, and when leaders evolve their people-leadership skills, it creates a positive ripple effect throughout workplaces. Unfortunately many people are in careers that don't fit for them, where it is a struggle for them to go into work everyday. There are also many people who suffer the ill effects of having a "bad boss" who creates a negative ripple effect, which goes beyond workplaces to negatively affect others at home and in the world at large.
Right Livelihood asks us to love our world through our work, instructing us to avoid vocations that harm others. How do you measure up against this standard?
Are you in a job that doesn't fit for you?
Are you a leader struggling with stresses that cause you to forget about how you are treating your people?
Have you found your Right Livelihood?
