Business Inquiry: How to Do The Work at Work

What are the beliefs that are getting in the way of your job or your business?

In the same way as we do inquiry on our stressful thoughts about people in our lives, we can do business inquiry, questioning the assumptions we take to work and about our work or not having work. These assumptions may seem neutral to some of you, but they may in fact be causing a lot of stress in your life.

Why do we do things the same way over and over again and expect different results? Because we are believing our unquestioned thoughts over and over again in the same way, that’s why. Simple.

What if we were to challenge our underlying beliefs, the beliefs about our work, the markets, our products and services, our customers, our partners, suppliers, our financial thinking, in fact everything we believe to be true about our jobs, the people we work with, our businesses?

Here’s how.

(Notice how familiar this process is.)

Write down a business assumption or belief on the line below and then question it in writing (use additional blank paper as needed), using the following questions and turnarounds.

(If you prefer, use the One-Belief-at-a-Time Worksheet. You are welcome to download it here now.) While answering the questions, be still, and go deeply as you contemplate. The Work stops working the moment you stop answering the questions.

Assumption/Belief/Concept

(Fill in the blanks)…………………….

1. Is it true?

– The answer is a "yes" or a "no" only.
– If your answer is "no," continue to question #3.

2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? What actions, thoughts, images, happen as an employee, a business owner, or a consumer, when you believe that thought?

(The following sub-questions are meant to assist you in contemplation of the third question above. I include them only so that those of you who wish can be as thorough as possible. Some of them won’t be appropriate, and some will work for you. Use the sub-questions as a possible menu that catches what you may have missed as you look at "How you react when you think that thought?".) Each of you deserves to be free from denial and delusional thinking, and it is always your choice. Those of you who are ready, take a deep breath; and now let’s continue with the sub-questions to question #3.)

– What images do you see (past and/or future) when you believe that thought? Close your eyes, relax, contemplate, witness what you see.

– Describe your feelings; notice what happens in your emotional body when you believe that thought or assumption. Notice what addictions come to mind when you believe that thought. Notice the ones that you act on and any guilt that may follow. Describe in detail how you react.

– How do you treat your employees, customers, suppliers, partners, competitors when you believe that thought?

– How do you treat yourself when you believe that thought?

– What negative business behaviors happen when you believe that thought? (For example, defensiveness, secrecy, lies, exaggerations, justifications, theft, breach of laws (legal and moral), false accusations, anger, punitive behavior.)

– Where and when did that belief/assumption first occur to you (at what stage or part of the business)? After you define that, close your eyes and find its origin. Were you three years old when you recall its origin in your life? Six, seven years old? Notice: is it still causing fear and failures in your business and life as a consumer today?

– What negative results do you get for holding on to that belief or assumption? What are your business expectations, and what is the cost to you in losses, financial and personal?

– What do you fear would happen to your business and your financial life if you didn’t believe that thought? (These, as well as the others, can be added to your list for inquiry later.)

– Does that thought bring peace or stress into your business life?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

Close your eyes; drop your belief just for a moment and look back; notice what your business would look like without that assumption.

What could your business be doing if you weren’t holding on to this belief? What do you see? Find three examples of what you could easily do differently if you didn’t believe that thought.

Find turnarounds. Are any of them as true as or truer than your original belief?