Exclusive With Bias Or Inclusive With Integrity
- Oct 18, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 19, 2021
Written by: Serena Scarlett, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Has the main pursuit of money coloured your way?
Do you ever stop to evaluate your level of worship to the God of Money & Materialism? Most importantly do you remain true to what’s important to your integrity, your spiritual beliefs and ethical outlooks?
Worthy questions that help you maintain integrity, remain true to who you truly are. Your business doesn’t need to be offering a spiritual service but you can still be a spiritually based business operator.
When others are charging high ticket prices with low value, while you offer value packed services for a reasonable price, what keeps you accountable and aligned with your values?
Being in company of those who hold similar approaches helps you a great deal and is one way to keep on a healthy, ethical path. Not putting prices up really high just because you can.
Keep true to your own ethical and moral codes.
Some personal navel gazing is helpful to ensure you haven’t drifted.
Considerations:
Are your business directions in keeping with your higher self?
Who are your peers, are there key people aligned with your values?
Do you treat all with respect and kindness?
Can you apologise when you make mistakes and follow through with making amends?
Are you loyal to those you hold dear or have shared your journey?
Are all your business services ethical and moral?
Has your income or wealth changed you?
Is what you offer making a difference to the world?
Awareness and self evaluations is a starting place to review who you are and how you live in accordance with your values, but there is more. Inclusiveness and generosity toward those not at your level, perhaps struggling in some way, is also the mark of an aligned leader.
Is there generosity of spirit in all that you do?
Generosity of Spirit includes some traits in business including:
giving true value, over and above expectations
adding sweeteners, including a bonus or gift with purchases
providing of occasional pro bono services
offering free or discounted services to those in real need
putting up a scholarship
mentoring to those who ask
showing kindness, respect, and a helping hand.
There are some industries and even spiritual businesses that over time become cliquey and are not inclusive to others.
Don’t become part of ‘us and them’, holier than thou or exclusive clubs.
Look for what is similar rather than focus on what's different.
Be truly inclusive. It's not about agreeing fully, who ever does? We each have our personal take on things. And the disagreements that occur in any relationship can be healthy debates, where each can provide an alternative view.
So allow others to be themselves, disagree at times, respectfully, and don’t just say Yes to everything to keep the ‘peace’.
If there are enough commonalities to share broad goals and values that are aligned the rest is just trimmings.
Viva la Difference:
Those with mental health conditions who may at times appear negative and not be the best company will bring their unique perspectives. And don’t forget they are no less intelligent. There is much to learn from them.
People may simply have their own additional challenges and in some cases need you even more as someone to connect with.
Don't expect everyone to agree with you 100 % of the time. That's not trust or respect of authority by you as a leader, it's encouraging unhealthy passive behaviour or weakness to blindly follow without question. We can all make mistakes and everyone needs to be able to question and build their own inbuilt ‘bullshit detector’, so encourage healthy query.
If you run a group or club that only has members that follow blindly, that isn’t being inclusive, it's at risk of being dictatorial and isn’t inclusive unless you are allowing truly free contributions.
Allow those with outspoken behaviours that may challenge the status quo to be a part of things as well. Many, many geniuses and change makers acted against the odds, giving rise to invention and greater quality of life to many of us now.
Do:
Listen to others and allow alternative ideas
Give generously, even conceptually by giving encouragement individual expression when different to yours or the majority around you
Be confident in your own beliefs and ways of behaviour so that you don’t feel challenged by an opposing opinion or position
Give compliments for someone’s point, even if to say ‘that’s interesting’, or “I hadn’t thought of it that way before”, even thank them for their contribution.
Be interested and curious about people and their unique way of living, thinking and creating.
The way to bridge a chasm is always available no matter how wide the divide. Bridge any gap with kindness and gentle communication.
We share a world, Spirit origins or the Spirit of Creation at the very least.
Be accessible, friendly and respectful to those who share your world, whether it's business or personal, be someone of integrity and loyalty. Be kind, treat all those you interact with utmost respect.
Know that we are all brothers and sisters, part of a spiritual family even at times of a different name and belief set. Lead with kindness as a good parent would.
We are here together. So let's all get along, act with gentleness and love. Behave as a spiritual family. Be inclusive, not exclusive. Open your mind and arms. We need many more leaders and role models that inspire with maturity and wisdom. Is that you?
Serena Scarlett, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Serena ignites messages while maintaining the business owner’s feel and stamp. Wholistic copywriting with alternative approaches are central for supporting unique businesses. When Magic (and the opposite) happens, Serena provides Mentoring. She delivers creative problem solving, outside-the-box solutions, and stratagems. Whatever the role or project, Serena powers it up and packs a punch. This includes presenting to a SharkTank / Dragon’s Den-style panel and a public audience at the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship in 2019. Copywriting for web pages and marketing materials are her core functions, and being a Wholistic Mentor for Entrepreneurs.
The nitty-gritty / hard yards achieved:
designed and ran spiritual groups, mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation classes taught conventional classes on marketing & small business management, financial (debt) management sessions,
therapeutic counseling and case management,
start-up and business mentoring
copywriting, making business presentations, entrepreneurial pitches.
International Business Mentor, with clients in the USA, Europe, and Australia.
Companies that worked for include International Legal firm VisAustralia, Counselling services Converge International, Belconnen Community Services Canberra, Mission Australia, and Anglicare Canberra covering South East and South West NSW, Australia. And currently an Entrepreneur Serena Scarlett as a Spiritual Wordsmith / Wholistic Copywriting & Mentoring.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS (Quals) Copywriting Training & Internet Marketing by Hot Copy, Graduate units Sydney School of Entrepreneurship, Ideation & Structure for Success in 2019 fuelled this further.
Formal Quals include:
B. App Sci Health (& Community) Education
Post Grad Community Counselling
Dip Financial Counselling.
Create Your Destiny graduate with William Whitecloud April 2021
Mind Soul Spirit workshops (30 + years)
The latter two being personal, spiritual, and psychic development.
