Research calls the condition of a worker completely merging with his or her own
activities “flow”: one forgets time and space, because one becomes completely
absorbed in a task. In this condition one can easily work for extended periods of
time and experience deep internal fulfillment and satisfaction. Flow occurs when
the task is ideally suited to a person’s abilities – it is neither too easy for them
nor far too challenging. Good leadership can help employees to experience flow,
making happiness and entrepreneurial success go hand in hand. Happy employees
are more productive, more committed, and identify themselves more strongly with
the enterprise. “Flow on the job is achieved when employees feel that they are
working not merely for a salary but for something greater than themselves. Mana-
gers should strive to do more than squeeze the most out of every employee. Leaders
must have the vision to place employees’ emotional needs above market share and
profitability” (Csikszentmihalyi 2004, p. 37).
In order to experience flow with the work being done, certain conditions must be
met. Employees need clear goals that are attainable and that they can accept. They
need feedback on their activities and must be able to concentrate on their tasks. In
addition, they must follow their own schedule. As you see, many of these factors
contradict Malik’s fun-hostile work ethics. Later we will return to the necessary
“fun factor” of work.
Second Principle: Contribution to the Organization
Leaders do not separate their tasks at work from their job position. They ask
themselves what they can contribute with their knowledge, abilities and experience
to make the job and tasks become one. Rank, status and privileges are important to
upper-level management, but their contribution to the overall productivity of the
company should be the most important thing. Malik regards this principle as a
precondition for business efficiency and holistic thinking (in the sense of thinking
of the whole), flat hierarchies and long-term motivation.
Frequently specialists see only their task, their reality but not the reality of the
entire organization. “In this sense, a false sense of specialization is one of if notthe
most the substantial cause for the frequently lamented communication problems”
(Malik 2001, p. 92). Specialists are particularly important resources in today’s
society, yet they must be integrated into the organization as a whole, put themselves
in the positions of others and always be ready to share their contributions with the
organization. The manager may be viewed as a conductor, while the employees are
his or her orchestra. The soloists or specialists work together in order to reach
harmony and unity in the orchestra or company. This task is referred to as “corporate
restructuring.” and means that the customer, the product, the company, the profit, the
employees and the management all do their part to make business run smoothly.
Leaders are constantly asking themselves for their contribution to the organiza-
tion as a whole. They must also answer their coworkers’ question: “What is your
contribution to the company?” In today’s complex organizations, managers and
their employees must work together to accomplish tasks and maintain productivity
and efficiency. For Malik, contributing to the organization is the strongest driving
power. “To make a larger, stronger organization, each individual must be motivated
2.1 The Craft of Leadership 31