This past fall, we were humbled to be invited to join the Tony Hsieh Award committee for a day of sharing and bonding with committee members with the intention to build upon the mission that Tony Hsieh began.
From the moment I entered Zappos headquarters the impact and legacy Tony Hsieh had on all of those around him and why his spirit lives on today were clear. Tony understood collaboration drove innovation. From all accounts he was a master at connecting people.
When I reflect back on that day, one thing stands out as the common thread of the Tony Hsieh Award mission–work impacts the lives of people. How people spend the majority of their time has a direct impact on how people perceive themselves and how they approach life.
Work culture nurtures people in a number of ways, both positively and negatively. In all of my social channels I’m reminded of “Friyay” and how I should dread Sunday night because Monday means I have to go back to work. I’ve seen countless people posting, with pride, how they left a job to get well again or pause to focus on their health (physical and/or mental) and their personal lives.
This got me thinking about the people that don’t have that option, which is most of us. Imagine if we lived in a world where those types of posts were no longer necessary. How might we think about work, and our lives for that matter, if companies not only said they cared about our wellness, but actually gave us the time to do it? How could we do that in a way that helps the organization grow and thrive?
This was the spirit of what we discussed as a committee. We want to drive change and innovate the world of work and what that means as we move into the future. We believe work is full of opportunities that bring people back to the heart of innovation, by fueling growth for the individual AND the organization. This is how we honor Tony’s legacy, because Tony understood the discipline of executing upon and maintaining a standard of excellence for his people. He knew in the long run this would create a healthier ecosystem that could fuel passionate ideas of progress, resulting in something far greater than standard corporate goals.
The community that has arisen from the Tony Hsieh Award is committed to advocating for and thinking bigger than the traditional construct of work and what we have experienced in the past. We strive to celebrate those individuals that are actively leading their team and organization in a very human way. SPOTLYFE is proud to be part of this mission.
