Every human being can act consciously, they can become aware of their instincts and habits, and choose not to follow them. Not taking this step would be like driving on the motorway lost in thought, or being so busy chatting that you don't notice your exit, and end up driving right past it. When a person stops doing things on autopilot, he becomes more aware, in both his personal life and at work. Among the characteristics that distinguish human awareness from that of other living beings are the ability to perceive our inner world, and something called abstraction, a thought process which allows us to think about objects, principles and ideas that are not physically present. For example, humans can elaborate the concept of an entire forest while only seeing a few trees at the entrance to it. Humans use this ability of abstraction to ponder over their private lives, and the same can also be done at work. Our professional lives do, in fact, represent a large part of our existence, and applying consciousness to them is essential if we want to live with integrity.
The business world is full of possibilities, and offers everyone the opportunity to show their skills. Using your individual skills to do more than earn material success will enable you to transform your business into a place of work where freedom and respect are the order of the day. This is easier said than done, however, because creating such an environment requires a radical change in mindset, although the good news is, that you can train to become more aware, just as you would do for a marathon. A conscious business promotes mindfulness – another word for conscious attention – in everyone involved with the company, from employees to management, to consumers. In doing so, people go from being mere resources to human beings, and the outcome is the development of a company that aims to achieve their results while respecting everyone involved, and creating a sense of community among stakeholders. The culture of any organisation only begins to change when its leader supports this change by behaving differently. For example, when a CEO begins to treat his employees with respect, they, in turn, will behave respectfully to each other.
