In one of the Friends episodes Ross is fascinated by a book that says that “by the year 2030, there'll be computers that can carry out the same amount of functions as an actual human brain. So, theoretically, you could download your thoughts and memories into this computer and live forever as a machine.”

If our hunting ancestors could take a peek at these times, they might ask us, “what more do you need”, right?

And while all this digital luxury and the idea of living forever, even as a machine, is indeed fascinating, we often lose focus from the fact that we humans are still social beings and, scientifically speaking, we need cooperation to survive as a society.

So what more do we need, do you ask, dear ancestor? To practice more our natural human nature which translated into business language means to create and maintain a culture of empowerment.

Here are a few practices that we believe in:

First of all, communication of the why of the company’s existence from the first interview. Elaborating the why of our decisions to the people we are working with. This is key to understanding the vision and the mission of the company.
Second of all and most importantly, telling both the good and the bad news. This will encourage people to be more open about their news and definitely build reciprocal trust and respect. Also people will be more willing to collaborate.

To put it simply, the organization as a whole will be more informed, and they say “scientia potentia est”, isn’t it?

I would like to refer to human nature once more which means we live and survive as a society which also means that we have in common certain values and beliefs.
Although we don’t want to be exactly the same as others, we don’t want to differ too much either. We want to be similarly diverse. So does our surroundings influence how we behave? Of course it does. And do we influence others by how we behave? Yup.

Therefore we can conclude that leading by example simply means practicing our values and beliefs through our actions. Doing things as we would expect them to be done by our team - emphasys on doing, not just preaching. Show, don’t tell :).

Being a good leader is equal to being authentic, natural and honest. We know it’s not that simple because it involves getting to know ourselves really really well, being self-aware and learning our personal values. But we also know that hard work always pays off and it’s worth it.

Why do we believe in leading by example? First of all because being our authentic selves and not faking perfect remind us that we are human. Then there is the sweet feeling when people respect us for who we are or even follow our example.

Being empathetic means asking questions, listening and understanding a different perspective. Taking the time to talk to our coworkers is key. Getting to know them will allow us to know what they like and what they do best and it will be way easier to match people with projects. It’s not a secret anymore that this increases productivity and overall well-being. This is what “doing what you love and never having to work a day in your life” actually means.

Creating empathy at the workplace also means offering support when needed. Problems are a part of our beings, we cannot separate them from who we are, we function as a whole, as a complex spiritual and physical system. Ok, let’s not get too supernatural there. What I want to say is, if our mind is preoccupied with tasks, kids, health problems, financial problems etc., we might not be able to focus on productivity but compassion and help will go a long way.

Although offering support is not just about understanding someone in difficult times, but acknowledging their great work and showing appreciation in good times. We guarantee it will have a positive impact on the individual and the company, as a positive atmosphere will lessen stress and boost mental health therefore increase engagement and productivity. And seriously, who doesn’t like contributing to something bigger and being appreciated for it?

All of the above have at least one thing in common. Once again, in order to survive, we need to share and collect information. Thousands of years ago we had to know when the mammoths were coming to run for our lives, today we need to exchange feedback in order to maintain good relationships. One thing did not change: the need for communication.

And with this I will leave you, dear reader. Live long and communicate!