The heART of Performing Well Always

Business owners always find some inadequacies in their employees' quality of work performance. These performance inadequacies continue to be present despite large amount of money spent on training, counseling and incentives in enhancing employees' skill, knowledge and competency. Over time, however, these business owners especially those from the small and medium industries, begin to lose faith in so-called modern management concepts and theories as well as their accompanying tools and techniques as promoted by management consultants.

Only the other day, I was discussing with a very hands-on lady entrepreneur on the subject of employees' behaviors at work place. From her experience, she's always on the look out for potential employees who possesses good attitude and have certain character traits related to the "heart". To her, knowledge and skills can be acquired. Even negative attitudes can be changed to positive. However, employees with the heart-qualities are most fundamental to the sustained growth of a company.

In the ancient art of Chinese fung shui, there exists the five elements of Wood, Fire, Water, Metal and Earth. These elements when in balance, will create great harmony in the environment and thus strengthening relationship, maintaining good health, and generating great wealth and prosperity.

Applying the concept of five elements in an organizational setting, it would be a joy to all business owners to have an employee who always protects the organization and colleagues; is passionate about the job; has patience with others; holds fast to a set of life principles, and is a person who persevere through all stumbling blocks. The exemplary employee with the 5 P's of heart-qualities can be described as:

1. Protective (Wood) - Like a tree providing shelter and shade, this person defends the organization and shields fellow workers against external threats. There's also a caring aspect;

2. Passionate(Fire) - Like a ball of fire providing light and heat, this person with "fire in the belly" possesses a burning desire to achieve success and yet at the same time, finds joy in working;

3.Patience(Water)- Like the water of a river taking centuries to carve out the rocks beneath, this person always demonstrates patience when dealing with co-workers, customers, and suppliers;

4.Perseverance(Metal)- Like a piece of metal which is strong, hard and yet malleable, this person shows perseverance and is steely determined to overcome all odds and barriers to achieve what is ardently desired;

5.Principled (Earth)- Like a mountain, this person possesses integrity and is ethical as he/she holds strongly to a set of beliefs and values.

In addition to the normal criteria of selection and recruiting new employees, all HR and hiring managers should start looking out for the 5P's heart-qualities of the potential new hires. This is to ensure that the heart of performing well is always present.