Whether you are running your own business or working for someone else, environment is everything, especially when it comes to maintaining work productivity and ethics. Generally speaking, we are a product of our surroundings, so it really comes down to how we think when setting the tone for how a business is operating.

The bottom line is our thoughts and words attract to us what we think, which is also known as the ‘Law of Attraction’. Whether we realise it or not, depending on what energy vibration we operate at determines what we encounter in life. So if your mind is thinking in a negative way, then you will attract negative experiences. Fortunately, if you think in a genuinely optimistic manner, you will attract far more fulfilling results. And it’s this upbeat approach that I have applied time and again with extraordinary success to my wide-ranging financial interests.

That said, using the ‘Law of Attraction' does take practice, as well as having a strong understanding of what I refer to as the ‘knowing-doing gap’. After all, your subconscious mind is a powerful means to achieve what you truly want; it’s simply a matter of starting to fill it with clear, positive thoughts and trusting deep down that what you desire will manifest.

In order to achieve a congruent workplace, here are seven tips for applying the ‘Law of Attraction’:

1. Create a clear vision

First and foremost, you need to establish a crystal clear vision for the business or company. This should be a detailed document. Once this has been created by the owner or senior management, everyone who is involved with the business then needs to be on the same page. Speaking from experience, this can be challenging because other people have their own agendas and some things may fall out of place. It’s important the vision isn’t compromised.

2. Establish protocols and go with the flow

In addition, a company needs to have structure, it needs to have a system and it needs to have protocols. And it’s these protocols that constantly need to be improved. From my perspective, the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing every time and expecting the same result. Regardless of how good a modus operandi might seem, if a particular model within a company is not working, then change the protocol to let it flow in a new direction and see if that works.

Businesses constantly change and fluctuate. When this happens, we need to be on our toes. Sometimes a business owner will shake things up within the company, which is a good thing as it keeps leaders and managers accountable to their employees. But it also relates to the idea of expansion and contraction, which means that when things expand there is an automatic contraction in the universe; it’s the law of opposites, or the yin and yang. In other words, don’t always expect things to be brilliant. There will be obstacles that will get thrown back at you and it comes down to how you manage that fluctuation and not being surprised by it. Instead, see it as something to learn from. As I often say: ‘The bigger the business, the bigger the profit, the bigger the problems, the bigger the challenge’.

This is also where the owner and management come together to get to the bottom of why things are going the way they are. Maybe someone isn’t adhering to the policies of the business, but it essentially always comes down to the devil being in the detail. Unfortunately, a lot of companies overlook the detail and only focus on the big stuff. But the details are the foundation and are what make the big companies fly.

3. Remove the masks and embrace vulnerability

Something I have learnt lately is the game of charades that often gets played, particularly in business. Basically, people tend to wear one of two types of masks: the Phantom of the Opera mask or the Jim Carrey mask.

The Phantom of the Opera mask is when leaders, managers or staff members will say things like, ‘It will all be okay, everything is going fine, I know what I’m doing’. But in actual fact they don’t know what they are doing and they aren’t willing to put up their hand and ask for help. Alternatively, they won’t admit they have potentially made a mistake and instead try to hide it. The important thing to remember is that whenever these types of situations arise, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance or admit that an error has occurred. Remember to always think of mistakes as feedback for learning.

Meanwhile, the Jim Carrey mask is mostly worn by those in management or leadership roles. At home they are nice as pie to their family and friends but in the workplace they are dictatorial, telling people what to do and finding fault easily. They don’t really know what’s going on because they are too busy pointing the finger at everyone else except themselves.

While it is human nature to put a mask on, if you’re not willing to drop these masks and be vulnerable, you are actually showing signs of weakness, not strength. So in order for an enterprise to move forward and harmoniously on all levels, these masks need to come off and the game of charades needs to stop.

4. Leave the ego behind

In saying that, any ego and pride also needs to be let go of when in business, no matter what level you are working at. To me, ego means ‘edging God out’, so it’s really important to be aligned with your truth and speaking your truth. When you are being real with yourself, you are being real with others. And believe me, people will respect you a whole lot more for doing that. The good news is it’s easier for females to do, given their stronger intuition and being better at letting go and surrendering to the outcome, unlike men who tend to allow their egos to stop that intuition from flowing through.

5. Keep the lines of communication open

To really keep things in tune, communication and transparency is vital, as is being open and honest. Schedule regular business meetings, preferably weekly, and discuss those challenges, problems or concerns first. This is important because the business owner will see it as a sign of strength, not weakness. Then you can focus on solutions and the good things that arise. Personally, I like to receive reports every week. These come from each one of my departments, whether it’s accounts, administration, wholesale, retail or my management team. Even if there is not much going on, I still want to have them.

6. Provide incentives

While everyone in a business needs to be upfront, it’s also important to implement incentives from time to time. Whether this is in the form of a social function or an activity to simply build rapport, cash bonuses as rewards, random surprises for employees, or even the opportunity for a promotion, there needs to be motivators in place to keep the workplace humming.

7. Work with like-minded people

While we all have our own perspective on the world, generally, I employ people with a similar mindset to my own. In my case, a lot of those who work with me think I’m pretty out there, which also interests them and subsequently has a flow on effect within the businesses.

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You want them to drop those masks, stop those charades, stop being defensive and embrace vulnerability. They need to be true to themselves and others.

If you are establishing a new business or expanding an existing one, write down a clear list of the positive qualities you want in those people working around you. Although I have an innate ability to select talented people to work with, some key indicators to look for are: body language, a smile, a good attitude, clear speaking ability, quality leadership (for leaders), strong work ethic, history of achievements or original ideas, sharing their own dreams and visions (shows self-motivation), and how good they are with people. If there are any signs of moodiness or personal issues, which could potentially be brought into the workplace, then those types of personalities won’t be conducive with the business. There’s no need to upset the all-round affable energy and camaraderie that has already been created.