A political animal

The occidental way of thinking was established by Greek philosophers in the 5^th and 6^th centuries. When we talk about freedom, justice, democracy, education, courage, respect, ethics etc., we are, without being aware, referring to themes that started to be carefully analysed in those fantastic years, when man found a way to substitute mysticism by reason.

It was in that period that the word politics appeared, deriving from polis, which means city. In the original, to be politic means to demonstrate interest and preoccupation for the city’s well-being, and this is how everyone should behave, taking care of their own interests without offending the collective. Everyone’s and the collective’s will and needs should be in harmony. Isn’t that a simple idea? Companies are part of the society; they are subjected to the same principles that rule the occidental civilization, including politics.

Unfortunately this concept suffered changes of understanding. Nowadays to be politic imply to agree giving to receive. People confuse the search for power with the collective well-being. There are some companies that allow and even stimulate this second line politic, believing that internal competitiveness will bring higher performance. That’s a huge mistake, as the competitiveness focus is dislocated from the market to inside the company, while competing companies might be doing their homework and establishing themselves. In the company, to be politic means to exert the practice of collaboration, clarity, and understanding.

To be politic does not mean to agree with others, without searching the group’s harmony by pacifically accepting the managers’ opinions. To be politic is to use your intelligence to find the convergence of interests besides the divergence of opinions. To be politic means to employ the noblest human condition: to behave like a citizen, aware of your duties and rights.

By the way, amongst the Greek, the one who didn’t have a politic behaviour, expressed by the interest for the general well-being, wrapping himself in the flag, was called of a suggestive name – idiot.

Translation: Melissa Mussak (melissa.mussak@gmail.com)