Family

Recycling the outrageous

So you say you're doing your part in the recycling initiative? You put out your cardboard, plastic and glass once a week? Well that's not enough for go-getters like us. I'm challenging you to let the kids sort out the cans and the magazines. Discover the resources within YOU that you could be sharing. Or using to power your business. Part of taking ourselves to the next level is recognizing what we, as participants in the human race, have to offer... Recycling tip #168: Recycle your sense of family.

There are many ways to define a family. And it's not just about those people who happen to live in your house with you. Whether you were born into your family or you chose them yourself or they chose you, it doesn't matter. When we bring our sense of family out into the rest of the world, amazing things happen. Yes, even at work!

What makes a (work) family strong and successful?

Learning— Learning, you say? If it's family we're talking about, we're just happy when the kids learn not to stuff their socks down the toilet. But are our standards only that high? Don't we also want our kids to learn values, skills and behavior? Strong family leaders (and work leaders) teach by example and also learn through experience as they execute their values. It's important to constantly challenge yourself and others so no one's stuck where they don't feel like they're learning. Are you an active part of making your work place a learning environment? Or are you just trying to keep socks out of the toilet? Help your work family grow and in the process, you grow yourself. Laughter—Do you want your company to have a unique and memorable personality? Then be able to laugh at yourself. Look for the humor in your daily work! Building a strong family is serious business, but if taken too seriously, family (and work) can become tense. Every so often it needs a pressure release valve. Having fun balances our efforts and gives us a realistic view of things. Combine a little weirdness with fun at work and it ends up being a win-win for everyone: Employees are more engaged in their work, and the company becomes more innovative.

Leadership—If no one accepts this vital role, the family weakens. Don't let that happen! Remember when you begged your Dad to let you stay out late and he refused and you stomped your feet trying to come up with a solid argument but he still said no and that was the end of it? Well he was doing more than just being mean, like you were so sure of at the time. He was establishing himself as a leader. It might have been annoying back then but having a leader in place is vital to the success of the family. And to the workplace. Look for opportunities to lead by example. And help your team remove obstacles to progress. If you do those two things, you'll be fortifying the whole unit.

Loyalty—Did you ever pick on your little brother or sister to the point where it would probably be considered torture in 47 countries? Or maybe you were the one getting tortured. Either way, what happened when someone outside your family initiated the persecution? “Hey! That's my little brother, don't pick on him!” It might be bizarre but that's family loyalty. Now I'm not telling you to go over to your assistant and yank on her hair but think about your relationships in all areas: with managers, customers (internal and external), vendors, business partners, team members, and co-workers. Families stand up for each other; treat your relationships well. It's hard to build trust, but when you do it you can accomplish so much more. Do your actions ooze loyalty?

So it turns out developing a sense of family is more than going to visit your Mom once a month after all. But I try to do that anyway. After all, family means no one gets left behind.

Credit goes to Zappo's Core Values and Advocates For Youth.