Over the years, the employees’ memories about the Founder faded and stories passed down about the Founder were viewed as nice but legendary in nature. Even though Management took the company in a completely new direction the Founder’s fingerprints could still be seen everywhere to the employees that remembered who started it all. To the Rememberers, it was obvious where all the assets and intellectual property came from. Some employees held onto the belief that times were better with the Founder but they kept their thoughts private to fit into the new order. In reality, the new Management didn’t mind if employees had fond memories of the Founder as long their actions demonstrated loyalty to Management. Management tolerated these people as they tended to be hard working and fair. Over time, Management got good at utilizing the Founder’s principles if it served their selfish intentions.
As the company continued it’s path without the Founder’s leadership, it was a mixed bag. As the Management reinforced their new philosophy to get bigger and better, the employees tended to do whatever they could to win in this new environment. The stronger employees produced more but didn’t care if it harmed other employees in the process. All the companies gains came at the expense of the weaker employees. Fortunately, the Founder had trained the original employees and left a imprint on the employees that guided them according to the Founder’s principles. Unbeknownst to most employees, this imprint was passed on generation to generation. Most employees had forgotten about this imprint as the original hostile takeover had left scar tissue that covered some it.
As the years went by, the company went through phases when Management was influenced by the imprint and business was good and other times when the scar tissue covered too much of the imprint and business suffered. The imprint and scar tissue were constantly in conflict with each other as generations struggled to remember the Founder’s principles and the trauma from the hostile takeover couldn’t be shaken. Sadly in most years, the scar tissue seemed to be growing as the imprint became more and more hidden.
The Founder realized that the scar tissue was growing and that the employees were having a harder time recognizing the imprint was still within them. The Founder was disappointed that even though the imprint was there to guide them, most employees did not recognize it. The Founder was still proud of the company as it still retained elements of his original organization but he couldn’t allow it continue to go on like this as bankruptcy was inevitable. The Founder decided to intervene, but how? The employees had initiated the takeover and the Founder let them go their own way. The Founder had to respect that decision even if he felt it was the wrong one. The Founder decided not to change the Management or punish the employees for their betrayal but he would change the company from within.
Since most employees thought the Founder was long gone and Management would know it was him that was causing trouble, the Founder couldn’t intervene as himself. He would have to go as another form, under the radar. Management might change their ways if he could infiltrate the company as an organizational change coach.
Now, there had been many coaches before this one. Some had tried to tell Management to change, others had told the employees to change. Many had tried to help the employees remember the Founder, what he had created and how they should work under his principles again. Often Management would quietly remove these coaches before they caused too much trouble. Some coaches claimed that one day someone would came back, overthrow Management and return the company to the Founder and his principles.
In this environment, the Founder sent the Coach to change the company. The Coach started engaging with the employees and they start to feel the burn of the imprint like never before. While some of the things he said were similar to previous coaches, he had this air of authority as if he knew the Founder personally! The Coach said things that were the complete opposite of what Management had said for years!
The Coach laid out the original vision that the company had long forgotten. He helped the employees realize their desire to be in complete union with the Founder. Management had made the employees think that they are the founders and they are responsible for the greatness of the company. Some employees rejected the Coach’s words as they realized that if they go back to the original vision they will lose much of their power and status. Other employees recognized that the Founder was really the source of the organization and that to pretend otherwise was folly. The more the Coach spoke, the more the employees realized how the Founder was still present in every facet of this once great organization. These Rememberers asked the Coach how the Founder wanted them to be great employees. The Coach said, “Love the Founder with all your heart, mind and strength and love your fellow employee as yourself.” The Rememberers asked for more details about what this looks like. The more he spoke, the more the employees realized how far they were from what the Founder called them to be.
Management began to watch this new Coach closely when they heard that he claimed to come from the Founder. The employees were engaged, excited and energetic like it was a start-up company again. Even though the employees’ morale was up, Management was worried that they would be overthrown by the Coach and the Rememberers if they let this continue. Even though the Coach made no claims to overthrow the establishment, Management took no chances. The Coach knew his fate and even though he had reintroduced the Founder to the employees, he still had much work to do. He knew the employees would never be in complete union with the Founder without his intervention. The Coach knew that he had the power to overthrow Management but his goal wasn’t to destroy the company but reveal to the employees the truth about the Founder. The Founder told the Coach to give himself over to Management. The Coach didn’t completely understand his rationale but he trusted the Founder.
The time came for Management to remove the Coach and the Rememberers were ready to violently protest and reestablish the company to its former greatness. The Coach calmed the Rememberers down and conceded that his work was over at the company. Other employees were disappointed when they learned of the Coach’s dismissal and his refusal to fight for what they felt was rightfully his. They grieved for several days knowing that the company would continue its flawed path.
After a few days, the company remained the same but they felt personally that something had changed. Paradoxically, now that the Coach was gone his presence seemed stronger than before. The Founder’s imprint within themselves was clearer and brighter than ever before. How can this be the Rememberers declared?! The scar tissue that concealed our Founder’s imprint has been removed!! We are free!! We are his!
Life, Inc Explained
Obviously, Life, Inc. is a thinly veiled allegory of the salvation history of mankind. This story easily captures our imagination in the language of what we’ve experienced in the business world. We’ve likely experienced an organizational change effort at a company that we’ve worked at and while they can be successful, they often aren’t, likely because they don’t have creditability at the source. Questions surround why they are making these changes. Yet if the source is credible, the change can be significant and lasting. In the allegory of Life, Inc., the Coach proves his credibility by executing the Founder’s plan. The Coach distinctly understands the Founder’s plan and outlines His vision and mission for our lives. Why not apply the Coach’s principles in tandem with the same strategic planning techniques that can transform companies in our personal life?
Successful companies plan for success and successful people do the same. Just as companies utilize an independent, unbiased voice to facilitate their company’s strategic plan so too can we use Jesus as our guide for our plan. What would Jesus say about your plan? Whether or not you have a formal plan, your desires and actions reveal your approach to life. Even an unplanned plan is still a plan!
Let’s discover your personal mission and develop your Personal Strategic Plan according to Jesus, the best Life Coach on the market!
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