The Natural Law Of People

All of humankind has a default way of behaving that we will always adopt... until we don't!

Every species has a natural way of behaving and interacting with the world around it. Humans are no different. Humans, however, have been exposed to a pervasive external pressure that has saught to tell us what to do, think and believe and how to act. We have forgotten the Natural Law of People.

Human beings, in their natural state, feel most fulfilled when they can participate with other humans and make a contribution to someone or something they care about, knowing their contribution is making a positive difference and they are appreciated for their contribution. It is our natural intrinsic motivation.

That is the Natural Law of People, just like the law of gravity. You cannot avoid it!

Yes, there are occasions when we make contributions that do not give us the same feeling of fulfilment and joy.

Many people at work today are expected to contribute, and their reward is every increasing payment. But this kind of reward is short-lived and easily copied by a competitor.

If businesses want to attract and retain hardworking contributors, they have to understand how to create the conditions that support the Natural Law of people. 

It is only when individuals fully participate and contribute to something THEY care about that they experience the true feeling of fulfilment and joy!

It is at that point that they experience work as a worthwhile experience because your organisation is leveraging the Natural Law of People.

That is when true community emerges.

Three Things Successful Business Leaders Do

In 2010 Adrian was working on a paper called the Human Condition and his research and analysis revealed a phenomenon he called the Natural Law of People. What he observed was in times of crisis all human beings pull together to do whatever they can to help in the crisis. The crisis calls to individuals' natural desire to contribute and in the moment of crisis they set aside any grievance or personal inhibitions. When individuals doubt the validity of the crisis, they tend to hold back. Something warns them that it is not valid and they withhold their contribution.

People who volunteer for organisations, charities or community projects for no pay because they are given the opportunity to make a contribution, and they are contributing to something that they care about, a cause that matters to them.

And then people stop contributing. In times of crisis this normally happens when the response is organised either by NGOs or government officials who have a particular way of operating. The people that came to the scene originally, drift away as this new way of operating obstructs their contribution. This is not an intentional outcome created by the official responders, it is just that their systems and procedures create conditions that inhibit many of the volunteers from continuing to contribute. They have no relationship with the new authority and withdraw their permission to be engaged and challenged. This can be easily remedied by intentionally establishing relationship with those first volunteers and creating the conditions for them to continue their contribution.

Adrian’s conclusion was that in all of us there is an inherent desire to participate and contribute to something that matters to us which we believe will make a difference to something that is important to us. If our contribution is appreciated then we want to continue to participate, make our contribution and receive more appreciation. It becomes a virtuous cycle of mutual benefit.

Many of the existing leadership styles and management approaches ignore this fundamental truth about the human condition and they ignore it at their cost. Clean Leadership is the ideal way to honour the Natural Law of People in your organisation and when this is achieved, work becomes a truly worthwhile experience for all, just as volunteering can be for the volunteer. And in addition to the ‘natural law of people’ being satisfied, people also get paid for their contribution, but their contribution is less in response to their pay and so much more in response to how they are made to feel about their contribution. How people feel is a direct outcome of their experience of the communication they receive.

Here are the three actions Leaders must take:

Create a 'Social Contract'.

Belonging to a community is a natural state for human beings and the best communities have clear rules and guidelines to follow. A Social Contract describes how we should engage socially and binds us together under a contract we commit to. If you want your people to participate fully that hey need to understand the rules of the game, know they will be treated fairly, and be appreciated to their contribution

Create inclusive platforms.

A community is defined by the platform that is exists on. The platforms we mean are platforms created in language. The language you use in your business or organisation describes a space where all of the members can participate, contribute, collaborate and interact in service of a specific future.

If the language is not inclusive then the platform win't be either

Leaders must go first.

'Do as I do' is the most inspiring way to lead. Be the first to engage positively, encourage dialogue, listen intently and speak from the heart. Great leaders show the why, the what and the how so that everyone may follow. Be the leader first. The language and behaviour of a leader MUST abide by the same Social Contract that applies to every employee. Remember, leaders must show the way for others to follow.