Conscious Business

Settle the score...

Oct 02, 2024

It feels ironic to write this post today about conscious business - an idea and concept that I just read in a book, that inspired me to think about our values and how we hold up during tough times.

Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values - Fred Kofman
Knowing what should be done and being able to do it are two different things.
what is missing is a deep understanding of what it means to develop an organization as a conscious human community.
The truth was not in the numbers but in the meaning we made from them.
They learned to maintain equanimity in the face of the most difficult circumstances, simultaneously keeping their hearts open and their minds sharp.
Everything that seems isolated is nothing other than a node in an infinite network of crisscrossing energies.

Yesterday, I was informed that my role was redundant. I learned a new acronym RIF - reduction in force..

Losing a job is not just an economic blow; it is a blow to our identity.
I am not perfect; I am perfectly imperfect in my unique way.

There are quite a few co-workers that got impacted and some of them are on visa so that makes it all the more difficult for them to find the next job. I think I am fortunate that I can still stay in the US as long as I can make it financially viable. So its time to do some number crunching and figure out where my next opportunity is.

Cogito ergo sum. (I am conscious, therefore I am.)
RENÉ DESCARTES

I always struggled with how businesses make these decisions based on numbers. And it seems interesting that for the data warehouse and analytics webinar series, that I was hosting - the next session was on success with the three Ps - people, process and platform. I guess it's the nature of the business.

I truly believe that we get to see the true colors of any business not when they onboard you as an employee but when they offboard us as an employee. Within 15 minutes of the meeting with HR and my manager, my access was cut off. Just like that one year of work meant nothing. That did hurt. I'm still processing the emotions and as much as they said it had nothing to do with my performance. And that it was a business decision, I genuinely wished we could be a little bit more human.

After a year of working and giving my 121% to everything I do, it always comes down to the numbers.

But at the end of the day, it's not the work that you've done, but the people that you worked with that we remember. It doesn't matter how many assets or projects I've worked on, none of that will carry forward. It feels like hindsight but I'm glad we pre-recorded the webinar for next week.

I can only cherish the moments where I felt valued and I belonged in a team. Of course, maybe if I dissect the one year, I might be able to find patterns and trends or even signs that things were not going right for the company. Or perhaps my inability to follow social cues has a role.

But that feels like a lost cause so I will just move on and I'm grateful for my support system and my chosen family to help me through this tough time.

I had to remind myself to be brave to add the open to work on LinkedIn. I couldn't tell my mentees to do this and not do it myself. I am grateful for the 200+ folks who have reacted and/or commented or reached out directly on DM or text message in the past 24 hours. This gives me hope. And that it is not the work that we do, but the people that we are connected with.

Today is a new day. It's Gandhi Jayanti in India. I'm all for peace and nonviolence. I believe in truth always. As Mahatma Gandhi says - Be the change you want to see in the world.

My values keep me rooted every day - trust and credibility,
extreme ownership, results and relationships.

When I have a bad day like today, I'll read some of the 100+ recommendations on LinkedIn to remind myself that I matter and the work that I do matters. So a big heartfelt thank you to the wonderful people in my life for checking in on me - mi gente: mucho gracias❣️

It felt like a night and day moving from September to October. You never know what is on the other side.

It also feels like every time I'm settling in, the ground underneath starts shifting. After 6 months in Redwood City, I had to decide to move to San Francisco in May as the tenant didn't renew the lease. Now the mortgage feels like an overhead that I need to make work until I find my next job. And continue to support my parents and myself.

This IG message and a thank you card from my mentee is comforting.

A story from Rumi about our emotions and the guest house is on point.
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
…
Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
RUMI - THE GUEST HOUSE

At these odd times in life, our well-being is paramount. How we process our emotions and stay the course. Here are some messages from the wellbeing coach app Lark helping me through my day.