Waterproof Mascara

I love Tesco.  It hasn't always been happy days.  We have had our moments. Resumes have been dusted and displayed.  There have been tantrums. But if I'm being honest, I can't define my relationship with her in any other way. She has been in service to me. I went from being a school teacher to being trusted to take care of the heart of the organization. And like any relationship, it has its good days and not so good days.

When I started, my purpose and values centered around growth and learning. Over the years, I have had to change and so has Tesco.  My purpose and values are now centered around service.  I couldn't continue receiving at the level that I had become accustomed to.  I reached a point where I had to give more than I took.  This shift wasn't as seamless as I describe it here.  It hurt like hell.  

If someone makes you feel inspired, connected, passionate, curious then you are falling in love.  If they make you feel dependent only to find more independence, you are falling in love.  If they make you feel like you add value to their life and bring value to yours then you are falling in love.

If you work in a place that makes you feel this way, you are in love.  And much like any relationship, you expect the tantrums and tiaras.  You just don't walk out, you adjust the lens and get focused again.

Our Aversion

Loving a company or organization is a pretty controversial statement to make, I have learned.  In the U.S. it is more common place to say 'I love working at ...', or 'I love my job' or 'My company is the best' ...in other countries not so much.   I have learned that other cultures find using the word 'love' in the context of a company not an inviting philosophy.  

Whether you like using the word or not is irrelevant.  If you are connected emotionally, you love it.  I can't see any other way around it.  This isn't about drinking the Kool Aid, acting obsequiously or being driven by your strategic plan for world domination.  That's not why I am confessing my love for Tesco.  I am talking to you readers out there who care about what you achieve at work; you want to add value and make a difference and you actually like what you do and what your organization stands for.

When your personal purpose and your personal values connect with someone else; it's magic.  You get butterflies, your eyes dilate, you can't stop thinking about them and you see a real value being around that person ... all the time. You both share the same foundations and yet you bring your own unique perspective.  You challenge each other to grow, to learn and see things differently and above all you feel differently.  There's an aura, an energy about you.  People tell you that 'you look different' some more insightful members of your inner circle even say 'you are in love, aren't you?'.  You blush and leap into a ten hour monologue about your love.  Well, I do.  

In a similar way, you can fall in love with organizations.  Emotional Loyalty versus Functional Loyalty are common place terms in both HR and Marketing arenas.  We all want customers and employees with Emotional Loyalty.  We all accept Functional Loyalty but we actually actively look for and want the former.  

Talent

Throughout my career I haven't seen anything more aligned across organizations and cultures as the definition for talent.  Sure they all have different documents outlining their vision, mission and plans to attract and retain talent.  But when you ask people to describe talent, their responses include variations of phrases like 'right fit' or 'someone who just gets it' or 'they are loyal' or 'they can be trusted'.  

Talent just get it, connect to it and run with it because they care and are emotionally loyal. They will roll up their sleeves when it is necessary, they take on more, they volunteer more, they collaborate more, they are just...more.   But what is the 'it' that talent just get?  Well, they may not be able to recite the values and purpose verbatim, but boy oh boy are they connected on a personal level.  The 'it' that they get so seamlessly is not just the organization's purpose/vision and values.  The 'it' is the unique contribution they will make in getting the organization there.  They connect with the heart of the organization and know their personal purpose.  That is an emotional connection.  

It takes time, but they will eventually get there.  They start as 'friends' and then it becomes something more.  

This is why when the company's values or purpose shifts, talent are the very first to get angry and say something.  Much like a relationship, it can be a very temperamental relationship.  Talent tolerate a lot and they challenge a lot. And like any relationship, they are always realigning and analyzing.  There's a limit, but with talent the bar is set pretty high.  Compromises and sacrifices have to be made and they are willing to make them.  They don't give up right away. They stay and try.  They aren't fickle.  

They just switch to waterproof mascara and show up.