This sign has been on my office door for several years now. It serves as a daily reminder not just to myself, but also to my co-workers and office visitors. I don’t know where I first heard the phrase. Naturally, I was familiar with old adage “the ends don’t justify the means,” but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon this version now posted on my door that I began to give it more serious thought. For me, this version moves beyond simple questions of moral ethics and into a more meaningful inquiry into how you truly want to lead your life. What kind of world do you want to live in? How do you want to achieve this?
I wonder if this way of self-conduct is easier for some than others. Personally, I find it incredibly challenging. It’s why it’s written on my door. I need a constant reminder in the very place I am most likely to break this rule of thumb—my office. I sometimes have a tendency to sacrifice my wellbeing for the sake of my work, which is not only counterproductive, but not consistent with the ends I am trying to create.
So, what are the ends we at Indigo Ink are trying to create? “Good Work,” the way the American novelist and poet Wendle Berry describes it. To create a life and lifestyle (and a company) where daily life and work is meaningful, purposeful, spiritually uplifting, sustainable, in harmony with nature, fostering a sense of community and belonging, filled with beauty and craftsmanship, that honors the humanity and dignity of all and views life wholistically—because the reality is, it’s all one life!
Yes, this is very aspirational. We’ve been at it for 21 years and I don’t know that we will ever officially “arrive.” But I am determined to prove that this is not only possible but preferable to any other way of living. For instance, while we have a long way to go towards 100% environmental sustainability, we continue to make great strides and look for ways to improve our processes. We utilize PrintReleaf on all print jobs run on our HP Indigo and B/W presses, exclusively use FSC certified paper for all wood-based paper stocks, incorporate recycled content where possible, and continue to reduce (and hopefully one day eliminate) the use of plastics.On the workplace culture and team development front, we take time each week as part of our scheduled routine to teach each other something meaningful and useful (now known as the Indigo Thursday TED talks). We practice a form of open book management so everyone on the team (regardless of rank) knows what is going on and is empowered to help make a difference. And to hold myself accountable to continual growth, I leverage my membership in the Stakeholder Business Society and our local chapter of Conscious Capitalism, Inc., Through these two organizations, I have a network of likeminded and experienced business leaders who I learn from and who are on this same journey towards making the world a better place… in a way where the means are consistent with the ends we are trying to create.
This past summer marks 21 years of Indigo Ink striving to make “good work” a reality. Our hope is this way of working can extend beyond our walls and beyond our team. It’s our hope that this ongoing endeavor will influence our entire network and ecosystem—our clients, collaborators, vendors, associations and our communities that extend across the nation—essentially everyone who makes this “good work” possible. We are so grateful.
Cheers to many more years of striving to make “good work” a reality. We wish the same for you…and in that striving, may the means be consistent with the ends you are trying to achieve.
