WHOLE TEAM – WHOLE LABOR – WHOLE CONCEPTION – SHAKE AND LIKE

WHOLE TEAM – WHOLE LABOR – WHOLE CONCEPTION – THE BIRTH OF SHAKE AND LIKE TRADITION:

The term “LABOR” refers to physical or mental exertion to accomplish a specific task or the work done by physical exertion. The word ‘Labor’ is also applied to all wage-earning workers as a group and distinguishes them from a group or class called  Capitalist or Management. The work accomplished by the workers for wages is described as ‘LABOR’. But no Capitalist or no kind of ‘Management’ has any exclusive right to the use of Language. In Medicine, the term “LABOR” is defined  as the process or period of childbirth, parturition; especially the muscular contractions of giving birth. In any case, the term ‘Labor’ implies physical work done to deliver a product or provide a service, or accomplish a task that involves the manual effort. In Medicine, Labor is preceded by an act called as ‘Conception’. The fact of Labor is the confirmation of the fact of ‘Conception’. There is no Labor unless the person had conceived. In my view, the ‘Capitalist’ is the ‘Father’ or the provider of the ‘Originating Seed’ that causes an incident called ‘Conception’ which further leads to Labor and Delivery by the use of muscular contractions.The term ‘Conception’ describes the act of conceiving, such as conceiving an embryo, or the beginning of some process, chain of events, or of conceiving mentally, the formulation of a new and original idea or concept . I am using the phrase “Whole Conception” to contrast my original idea with the Biblical concept known as “IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.” I want to submit with humility that my mind has simply conceived an idea after it is impregnated by an external stimulus, and that I was not fully aware or conscious when the event called ‘Conception’ took place. The term ‘Tradition’ refers to the handing down of Customs from generation to generation so as to make it a long-established practice. At Whole Foods Market, Ann Arbor, on Thursday, August 21, 2014, at the All-Store Team Meeting(ASTM), the birth of a new ‘Team’ tradition was announced. The idea of ‘Team’ describes a group of people working together in a coordinated effort in striving for a common goal. This concept of ‘TEAM’ does not include a group of laborers or wage-earning workers who come together to form an ‘Association’ or Union’ to promote and protect the welfare, interests, and rights of its members primarily by collective bargaining. Even if there is no ‘Association’, or ‘Union’ for the purposes of collective bargaining, the concept of “TEAM” is still useful at any workplace where a group of wage-earners work together to accomplish specific, or assigned tasks. From the idea of ‘Team’ the phrase called ‘Teamwork’ is derived and it describes joint action by a group of people in which individual interests are subordinated to promote group unity and efficiency. I coined the phrase “Whole Team” to give due credit and recognition to the “ORIGINATOR” who provided the economic stimulus to generate activity that demands the employment of a large group of wage-earners who labor to deliver the product called commodity or merchandise. The existence of ‘Whole Team’ is preceded by an act that can be named ‘Whole Conception’.

WHOLE MISSION – WHOLE VALUES –  WHOLE CONCEPTION – THE BIRTH OF SHAKE AND LIKE TRADITION:

I conceived a new, and original idea and I respectfully compare my act of mental conception to that of “IMMACULATE CONCEPTION” described in The New Testament Books of Holy Bible. The originating seed for my mental conception is derived from the book “CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM” sold at Whole Foods Market, Ann Arbor. The image of a coiled Arrow that appears on the cover page of “Conscious Capitalism” is the “Father” of my “Child.” When the “Seed” found its way into my mind, I was not “Conscious” or aware of that stimulus. John Mackey is the author of the book and he is the CO-CEO of Whole Foods Market Company. The Company adheres to certain “CORE VALUES”( I describe them as “WHOLE VALUES”) and its Business Mission includes several new concepts apart from “Promoting Team Member Happiness and Excellence” and “Win – Win Partnerships with its Stakeholders” and the Company values its employees and treats them as partners or stakeholders. Whole Foods has distinguished itself from all other US Corporations by using its “Whole Values” to accomplish its “Whole Mission” and created a new trend in business philosophy that could be named “Whole Capitalism.”

I am using the term “WHOLE MISSION” as a new phrase to bring full unity between the “CORE VALUES” and the business practices of “CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM.” I am struck by this passion to promote Team Member Happiness and the drive to create partnerships with both suppliers and employees. It stimulated me to come up with a group practice that would provide ‘Reinforcement’ to substantially accomplish the task of promoting Team Member Happiness. In Psychology, ‘reinforcement’ refers to any action that reinforces a response and increases the probability of a response to stimulus. The single, most important factor that provides job satisfaction at a workplace is that of receiving appreciation in recognition of the work performed. In the context of Teamwork, there is a need for giving appreciation to individual Team Members in due recognition of their individual contributions even while the Team works to accomplish a collective mission fully subordinating their individual interests. I have visualized a simple practice that would let individual Team Members to experience Happiness while they take the initiative to recognize their own individual contributions and claim that they are pleased with the results.

WHOLE TEAM – WHOLE PRACTICE – WHOLE SHAKE – WHOLE LIKE – WHOLE HAPPINESS – THE BIRTH OF SHAKE AND LIKE TRADITION:

The idea of using the “THUMBS UP” sign is very popular and it instantly communicates that the person is pleased, and enjoyed the actions that preceded the action of giving the “THUMBS UP” sign.

In Indian tradition it is described that Birds make a living using their Wings and Man makes a living by using his hands. Social traditions have evolved and most of those traditions involve the use of hands to communicate a mental concept. Hand movements are used to symbolize the tasks performed to maintain Life through work or labor. Shake Hands is a popular tradition that involves the act of clasping each other’s hands as a token of agreement or friendship. Handshake is a traditional form of parting and greeting. To promote Team Member Happiness, I evolved a novel form of Handshake that will not involve clasping each other’s hands.

WHOLE PRACTICE – WHOLE TRADITION – WHOLE HAPPINESS – THE BIRTH OF SHAKE AND LIKE TRADITION:

I introduced the ‘Whole Tradition’ called “SHAKE AND LIKE” at Whole Foods Market during their All-Store Team Meeting held on Thursday, August 21, 2014. The participating Team Members form a wide circle and each person uses the right hand like in a traditional Handshake but will not grasp the hand of any other Team Member. The participating Team Member also uses his/her left hand to give the “THUMBS UP” sign. The “SHAKE AND LIKE” action involves the moving of right hand up and down with short, and quick movements in the air for five times while the left hand is held in the ‘thumbs up’ position. On the sixth move, the entire participating Team Members will jump up into the air with both hands going upwards in a show of joy and pleasure at the concluding move of the “SHAKE AND LIKE” action. The philosophy of “SHAKE AND LIKE” can be stated as “I LABOR, AND I LIKE.” The action called “Shake and Like” is that of each participant acknowledging their own individual work or Labor and contribution using the right hand movements up and down in the air and simultaneously being pleased with that work or Labor and contribution using the ‘thumbs up’ sign. When this action is performed as a group, it reinforces the idea of giving appreciation for contributing to the collective work on an individual basis. This concept of “SHAKE AND LIKE” has received  the support from all of our Team Members and they participate in the action with great enthusiasm. If this tradition finds wider usage among Team Members or workers in the US and the rest of the world, it could become the most cost-effective tool to practice the idea of employees being treated as partners and stakeholders at any corporate entity. “Shake and Like” means “I Labor  and I Like” and hopefully it will be the new ‘Mantra’ to create Job Satisfaction and Happiness at all Workplaces. But, all said and done, at any workplace, the rules, the code of conduct for the group of laborers is decided by the Capitalist or Management and the laborers may have no legal right to institute a traditional practice using their own initiative or imagination. Having conceded the limitations for creating new workplace traditions, I am still optimistic that new traditions will come into existence if they are founded on valid and verified principles of Human Psychology.

WHOLE TEAM – WHOLE LIKE – WHOLE PRIZE:

Team Members who visit this blog post are invited to use this opportunity to claim a “Whole Prize” by simply liking the post and leaving a comment. Go for it. Sorry, MILK NOT INCLUDED.