Show Me The Green

There was a time that one could assume that the phrase
‘show me the green’ was interchangeable with ‘show me the
money’ (and in some respects it still is), but today it’s
really taking on a whole new meaning – it’s a phrase with a
movement behind it.

We, the people, are changing our view of green as fast as
the kaleidoscope will turn.  And the color is vivid.  We
are thinking green in our lifestyles, our products, the
food we eat, the homes we live in and the world we inhabit.
And if we’re thinking and living green in all of those
areas it stands to reason that this green-way of thinking
will spill over into being green in our careers.

But what does ‘being’ green in your career mean?  Well, it
is different for different people – some say it means
working for a company that is producing environmentally
safe products, or clean technology.  Others say it is
working for a company who is giving back to the community,
some say it’s about recycling and others say ‘hey, it’s
just a place I go to from 9a – 5p and it pays the bills’
(ouch…)!

But, one of the insightful things about all this green way
of thinking is what it is creating inside of us – our own
internal environment.  We are really all eventually drawn
to ‘service’, to a way to give back to the greater good.
And that brings up the question; Who are y-o-u, from the
inside out?  What is going on within your own internal
environment and how is your internal ecosystem?  Where do
you want to make your mark, and what impact do you want to
have in the world.  Of course, we can’t all be Gandhi, but
we can all make a difference – in his beautiful quote “be
the change you want to see”, Gandhi knew the richness of
green from the deepest level of his being.  He knew where
he lived inside.

Living your life in a green-way and contributing to life
through the makeup of your own internal environment means
reaching in and really deciding who you are, what you want,
and how you can make a difference; and then bringing YOU
into all aspects of your life, including your career.

Once you make this shift it stands to reason that you will
seek out and align yourself with a company that is stepping
up to the ‘green-way’ from the inside out too.  That means
more than just writing some fancy language about it in the
company’s annual report.  It means more than just sharing
an internal eco-vision (internal harmony, diversity, etc.).
It means a call to action, accountability and answers to
who, what, when, where, and why.  In other words, companies
need to step up and show us what they stand for and how
they are committed to contributing to the greater good.

Companies expect us to show up with more knowledge, better
information, fresh creativity and vast energy.  To show up
in those ways we have begun to look deeper and deeper
inside our being to come up with our best.  And the
by-product of all that inner searching is a new expectation
about what we want and expect from the companies we work
for.

Today companies need to pay attention because ‘we the
people’ are blossoming in a big way – big buds, big
sprouts, big roots of all kinds.  We’re achieving new
internal clarity, setting new expectations and aligning
with new goals; one of the strongest is all about “green” –
inside & out.

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About the Author
Robin Ogden is a co-founder of FiredUP Careers, a career
coaching company focusing on career products and services
for professionals who wish to stay aligned with their
careers, achieve success and truly dig what they do. Find
out more about FiredUP Careers and receive our FREE ‘career
death traps’ report here => http://www.firedupcareers.com