Oyster Pearl | HiroBoga.com

This past month has felt, at times, like a dizzying hike along a mountain trail. My wonderful assistant left to take on a full-time job at the beginning of February and the process of finding the right person to take her place has been both challenging and growthful.

A great working relationship doesn’t just happen. It requires work on both inner and outer levels. Like a good marriage, it is based in a clear vision of what is truly important to you — those qualities, values, skills and ways of being in the world that are essential to you and your business.

So, start by making a list of everything that’s essential to you, in a co-worker. You’re not seeking perfection, here, but rather those qualities, skills and attributes that are both necessary and sufficient to grow the world of your business in harmony with your vision and values.

Think right fit for the job, rather than Mother Teresa!

Once you’re clear about what’s essential to you, you can call on your Business Deva and on your friends, colleagues and allies in many dimensions to help you connect with the right person.

You’ll do your homework, of course. You’ll meet with people on your short-list, feel the quality of their presence and be guided by your intuition about how they might fit into the world of your business.

You’ll ask questions, listen for their responses, share your own heart and hear theirs in return. You’ll check their references and talk to people they’ve worked with. You’ll use your discernment to sift through all of this information.

Inner and outer work go hand in hand, in this process.

You’ll attune to the soul essence of this person, as well as to their personhood — everything that makes them who they are, unique and irreplaceable. You’ll consider the alignment between them and the soul of your business.

Throughout the process, you’ll ask yourself one fundamental question: Will this person bring greater harmony, wholeness, coherency and integration to the ecology of your business — or not?

And you’ll ask yourself if your business, in turn, can offer them what they need to truly flourish.

There is an element of serendipity and magic in connecting with the right people for your co-workers — those whose vision and values, skill, knowledge and experience are in harmony with the world of your business.

Business — like any creation — is an ecology of relationships fostered through love and devotion, clear communication, integrity, willingness, reciprocity and partnership, generosity of spirit, and a host of other soul qualities.

Different people in your business’s ecology may embody these qualities to greater or lesser degree. We are all individuals, and we bring our souls as well as our personalities to work with us.

If too many of these essential qualities are missing, if the person you’re considering isn’t sufficiently mature or skilled, or if there’s a large energetic discrepancy between them and you, it will cause friction and difficulty in your business.

On the other hand, if the person has the practical skills, genius, and experience your business needs, there’s sufficient resonance and alignment between you, and you have clear agreements and strong systems to support you, your business and everyone in it will flourish.

Here are some essential elements to consider, in crafting a soul-centered business relationship:

  • Is there harmony and resonance — a good energetic fit — between you and the person you’re considering as a potential ally and co-worker.
  • Do you have the means, capacity, willingness and structures in place to support each of you, so the relationship serves both of you and your business in becoming more whole, integrated, creative and joyful?
  • Is there clear and honest communication between you? What are your expectations, needs and responsibilities towards each other, towards your business? What is your reporting structure? How do you negotiate differences? What process do you have in place to handle challenges?

Once you’ve made the decision to hire someone, offer them welcome, appreciation and hospitality. You are making a commitment to their well-being, and you contribute to the quality of the relationship by your own attitude toward them.

Give them time and support to find their place in the world of your business. Hold qualities of flexibility, appreciation and patience, as you build trust and negotiate the differences between you.

The best business relationships are those in which each person feels safe, cherished, and encouraged to grow according to the inner pattern of their being; where boundaries and agreements are clearly delineated and understood; and there is a foundation of love, flexibility, trust, humor, good will and clear communication.

Soul-centered decision-making takes into account the well-being and fulfillment of everyone involved. Wholeness embraces everyone and everything in your business’s ecology and provides a container for everyone’s perfect unfolding.

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