Purposeful Stories

October 2023

These are a guiding force that make organisations enjoy what they already have and motivate employees to push the envelope and achieve what they want to accomplish. Values based organisations know the art of getting the maximum out of their value-driven team members, as both are in sync with the organisational values. The aim, therefore, in such a setting is to grow together and produce work of quality. Additionally, values are gentle reminders how the business leaders should embody ethics and ideals to set the tone.

Mind you, values are not cosmetic or flowery words that are thrown around only to impress. In fact, business organisations spend a good amount of time in developing their set of values and, subsequently, refining them at regular intervals. In the corporate world, there is a lot of emphasis put on value statements but it is equally true that some of these are plain mendacious or preachy. However, there are organisations and business leaders who truly abide by the value system they profess; even when such a stance could have financial consequences. As they lead by example, they leave little or no chance for their employees and co-workers to be cynical, alienated or disgruntled. In an environment filled with such positive energy, team members appreciate the importance of values for an organisation and waste no time in personifying the same set of values.  

At societal level, and on the personal front, an individual without values is a person devoid of any objective. Values confer a sense of purpose and define who we are, aid us in determining what is ethical and unethical, what we should opt for at critical junctures, and how we should eventually act in a particular situation to make a meaningful difference to our lives, and to the lives of those around us. Let’s appreciate the worth of our cherished values…

Values

Values are the shared beliefs that organisations and individuals hold dear to themselves. For many business organisations, values are like identity cards and indexes that define their characteristics. Values steer the choice of their action and purpose.

Organisational Values

For Gnothi Seauton, according to its Partners Vivek Pradeep Rana, Abhijit Kaur and Antara Telang, the stated objective is “to create purposeful stories”. As a values-based organisation, Gnothi Seauton embodies certain values that it treasures and attaches great importance to.

On top of the ladder is the value of ‘knowing thyself’ which, in other words, is self-discovery. It is a never-ending process, and an everyday learning and unlearning to become a better version of the previous day.

For Vivek Rana, all that matters is “happiness in the moment” and “not nursing grudges” without which you can’t live in the present. Knowing oneself better is a continuous process and a journey for him during which, he says, he has drawn many a lesson. Rewarding experiences spanning over two decades in a business leadership role has prepared him to be “less judgmental” about people and employ the emotion of love to find happiness in the moment through purposeful and compassionate communication.

A dispassionate debate regarding why organisations or their business executives should put so much effort into developing value statements when they understand the cost and risk that values entail is both necessary and urgent. In the age of Artificial Intelligence, well-oiled and carefully orchestrated social media campaigns attract a lot of attention. Unfortunately, not many really figure out what is going on behind the scenes.

Why should organisations in such situations symbolise values to set a higher standard and make an impact? Developing a set of values and sticking to them involves real courage because you have to be aware of the risks involved and the fact that values can inflict actual pain, too.

Living ones values is an everyday challenge navigating the everyday battles in a transactional world.  That is why I decided to build resilience and know myself better as a person in creating a business with a purpose and a set of values

Vivek Pradeep Rana Managing Partner Gnothi Seauton

It is true that institutional context is often complex and plural. There are times when organisations and top business leaders are really tested and expected to walk the talk and stick to their values even if that means losing revenue or perhaps even an influential client. This, indeed, is a tricky situation that leaders with a difference handle with maturity, care, resilience, and a set of values they espouse and embody.

An organisation without values is akin to a ship without a rudder, always struggling to navigate the stormy, choppy seas despite looking decorative and elaborate. Values are not the exteriors. On the other hand, an organisation that prides itself on values and ethics recognizes that business with a soul creates impact and builds trust. For such organisations, it is not all about earning huge profits and embellishment but it is about the interiors. It is the inner beauty—the soul—that matters more!

Vivek believes that values are of great essence and there are times when tough decisions have to be made. In such a scenario, it is critical how the organisation’s leadership represents its value system. Of course, he understands that it does not necessarily mean chasing utopia but the constant endeavour is to care for peoples’ self-esteem and play a positive role in their collective growth. There are Core Values and then there are Aspirational Values. From time to time, some organisations introduce Aspirational Values as an alternative to Core Values. Furthermore, business leaders need to develop a protective shield to steer clear of toxicity and respect personal space.

If given a choice, Vivek would contentedly opt for the love-based world over the fear-based world. His journey of self-discovery has also taught him how to be patient and resolve critical matters with a calming demeanour. The teacher in him has been a friend and a guide.

“Over the years, teaching as an adjunct faculty has taught me how to exercise restraint and be patient while dealing with a cross-section of people—clients and employees—as a business leader.”

And the other teacher in his life… Vivek’s pet dog adoringly named Sophie has been a source of learning.

“Sophie has made me learn some lessons about finding happiness in the present moment,” he says with a doting smile.

Antara Telang, Partner and Director of Content and Digital Communications at Gnothi Seauton, is someone who has worked tirelessly in shaping the organisation’s recently launched Values that are based on compassionate communication. She works with various clients to help them achieve purposeful storytelling for their brand across platforms. For her, a value-based organisation sets the right example by ensuring equality at all levels without any discrimination whatsoever.

Working with Gnothi Seauton has been reassuring for me to embody the values that we collectively espouse. The organisation has provided me with space and an environment to feel more confident about myself than before and to talk about our values with conviction

Antara Telang Partner & Director of Content & Digital

Let’s remind ourselves that values are not fancy words that mean nothing in a pragmatic business industry. Business leaders constantly have to deal with different clients who might not necessarily identify with the same set of values they advocate.

What happens then?

Organisations that believe in doing business with ethics and values have an intrinsic worth that defines their actions and behaviours in both good and bad times. Universally too, values are recognized as a source of power and motivation in ethical decision-making processes.

Personal Values

On the personal front, many individuals have a set of values that they deem important. For many, the value system or moral compass becomes an inseparable part of their personality. Indeed, each person has different values as it largely depends upon the individual’s surroundings, exposure to the outside world, interactions in a multicultural setting, travels, experiences, readings, and new learning and unlearning etc. The cultural and familial backgrounds, frequency of communication with varied personalities, and understanding of sacred values contribute significantly in getting individuals recognize the beauty of the bigger picture.

Personal values create an impact through what individuals do and what they don’t do; their words, actions, mannerism, etiquette, behaviour, and even their silence at times.

In a survey conducted by Gnothi Seauton, respondents were asked what values they consider important at various stages of their lives. For some, “learning new skills” and “being flexible with an open mind” matters a lot to resolve different and complex problems.

Family and friends are a blessing that I have taken for granted many times before, but I have now started to appreciate their importance

Survey Respondent

Similarly, a good number consider time spent with the family, close relatives and friends as “very important”. Their love for  parents who they consider an inseparable part of their lives was palpable.

Survey respondents from different age groups voiced different views about the personal values they treasure the most. The young adults show greater interest in independence, family bonding, having new experiences, and their ability to remain guilt free.

A young adult respondent argues that individuals are bound by the judgments, opinions and mindsets of people around them. “To be free of the burden of what the people might think of me is something that I am trying to develop. And the self-confidence and belief that no one can make you doubt yourself is the most valuable.”

Love for the family remains important for respondents representing the mid adult category, too. Besides, respondents representing this age group emphasise the importance of a healthy work life balance, tranquillity and self growth. One mid adult respondent is of the view that family brings ultimate happiness and also gives a sense of purpose to the said individual.

“I work hard to fulfil their (family members) dreams and ensure a better future for my daughter.”

Respondents belonging to the later adult category also seem to attach a lot of importance to the family bonding apart from peace of mind, personal space, authenticity, empowerment, gratitude, life’s rewarding experiences—good or bad, and pursuing their respective passions.

“We must fight for and nurture these qualities for mankind to progress, see beyond historical victories and failures, and solve the problems of tomorrow,” says a later adult group respondent who fears that our space for dissent is shrinking, robbing us of authenticity.

The pursuit of one’s passion has grown in importance for one late stage adult. “Earlier, I was driven by the poison of ambition. But, now, I prefer to go with my spirit’s calling,” he said.

All respondents appear conscious of the worth of the family, connection with reliable friends, team bonding, having a well-defined purpose in life, understanding the difference between words and deeds, getting to know people better with experience, cherishing the present moment, gratefulness for what they have rather than worrying too much about the past or the future, and a touch of sadness to see the space for dissent shrinking across the globe with each passing day.

Individuals at the leadership level at Gnothi Seauton are driven by robust values and ethics. Antara Telang says she understood herself more during the COVID19 pandemic as the prolonged break allowed her time and space for self-reflection and a learning to be in the company of self.

“I am someone who’s quite driven by my values. I wouldn’t call it a moral compass, but if something is important to me, I'll figure out a way to do it. I should enjoy whatever I'm doing. I should feel a sense of conviction about it,” she says. “I think the COVID19 pandemic coerced me to reconnect with my own company. In the beginning, it was really difficult. I was lonely, often felt very depressed and low. But, it was actually a good learning journey for me. I feel I genuinely needed some time on my own. Now I enjoy the fact that I live by myself, having days when I have no plans after work. I like to sit with my own thoughts sometimes.”

She is not someone who likes hierarchy or behaviours as a result of rigid hierarchies. Over the past few years she has begun to value “Me Time”. She champions the cause of equality or integrity of equity. She knows how to push back and be assertive when it is needed the most, and pick her battles wisely. At this point in her personal life and career, she is “a little more confident about what I’m bringing to the table”. And she is willing to lend a patient ear to the opinions of other people and have meaningful conversations!

What do you value the most?

Tell us what you value the most? Send your responses at contact@gnothiseauton.co

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School of Purpose: Episode 7

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In the latest episode of Gnothi Seauton's 'School of Purpose,' we are joined by a very special guest who wears multiple hats. Vishal Talreja, the Co-Founder of Dream a Dream, a non-profit organization empowering children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds to overcome adversity, is an author, educator, and social entrepreneur. In a captivating dialogue with Manasi Lalwani, Vishal delves into his distinctive journey and reveals the valuable lessons he has acquired along his continuing path. Tune in now for the full episode.