I was reflecting on a story I heard several years ago during a leadership program. A senior manager from one of the biggest auto companies shared that a worker came up to him and said he was very happy that he had done something which he had never done for 25 years. The manager said this often happens in the factory. On enquiring, the worker said that he lived in a place where they had to walk 20 minutes to fetch water. For 25 years he said his wife would do that at 6 am, but today he woke up early and got water for the house, and was feeling extremely happy. What the manager went on to say caught my attention – he said, from that day onwards the worker’s productivity increased. I sat thinking to myself that a man wakes up at 6 am to draw water for the house and the net profit of a company goes up!

There were three key lessons in this simple, yet powerfully inspiring story.

When in our time of silence we reflect on some of the changes we need to bring about in our life and we are willing to change our way of thinking and living, it can change the quality of our life. Sometimes small changes, especially in our relationships can make a big difference.

When we operate from love for a purpose beyond ourselves, we discover a potentiality often constrained by our limited ego. The joy of doing things for others brings out the best from within.

Home and work cannot be two compartments. If we are happy at home, we will excel at work and a happy workplace enables us bring our joy home. We may not mix our work and family life, and may be disciplined about our timings, but we must be mindful that we are the same emotional being in both places, and one role impacts the other.

Such is the power we possess. Sometimes ordinary things done with love can give us extraordinary results.

(Picture-Asia Plateau, Panchgani, the beautiful IofC Centre where the program was held)