Another starting point in intentionally crafting our worldview is how we think about intangibles and their place in our lives. In my work with organizational leaders, I have noticed that some people focus mainly on tangible things. They concentrate on what they can see, touch, and measure. Other less tangible things like meaning and feelings are dismissed because they can’t touch them.
Other leaders focus on both the tangible and intangible aspects of their organization. I see this more in non-profit leaders. Non-profit organizations have invited intangibles into their organization. Once they realized they couldn’t match for-profit salaries to attract talent, they started attracting people by matching their passion with the organizational mission.
When we invite passion, we also invite all the other emotions our employees bring.
The list below contains some of the intangibles that enrich our personal lives. People bring them along to work as well—whether we recognize them or not!
Intangible Parts of Nature and Humans
Take a moment to review this list and reflect on whether each one is present in your life, team, or community.
Intangibles as Starting Points
The concept of God is an excellent example of an intangible starting point. Of course, not everyone believes in a higher power like God. People who do often rely on their beliefs to feel they’re not alone when facing challenges. A relationship with the god of their understanding deepens their inner life. Beliefs of this kind can shape our view of others and the sacredness of our relationships with each other and our world. I believe it also makes it more difficult to exploit others, especially if we value cultivating connection, community, and caring as an essential part of being human.
People who look at challenges and see possibilities also value the intangible. The capacity to see possibilities starts with the belief that there are intangible things of value in life. Those who don’t see or honor intangibles have a life built on what is seen. If they can’t touch it, it doesn’t exist.
An old saying in organizational leadership goes something like this: What isn’t watched doesn’t get done.
I suggest a variation to that saying that applies to our worldview:
If we don’t think there are intangible aspects that shape the quality of our lives, we won’t seek them out or develop them to enrich our lives.
That’s why I’ve included a tangible/intangible belief system as another starting point to help craft our worldview. Whether we value tangible or intangible aspects of life shapes a long tail of behaviors, habits, and relationships with others in our lives.
Shaping Our Lives and Our World
This also shapes our leadership and our organizations. Leaders who don’t integrate intangibles into their leadership focus on goals, outcomes, and results. They tend to create teams and organizations that may pay well but diminish the humanity of the culture and the people who work there.
Organizations that run on both tangible and intangible beliefs are, quite simply, more human. They positively impact the people they serve and contribute to the world in extraordinary ways.
I invite you to reflect on the level and quality of tangible and intangible aspects within your work and your life. What would you add to the list above?
