Shawn is someone who has had the courage to change his life and his approach to business.  When I worked with Shawn at Microsoft there was no doubt he was a seasoned professional. However, there was an edge to Shawn that felt as if he was not comfortable with himself. We both left Microsoft and sometime after that I got a request from Shawn in July of 2017 to look at his new book. Upon doing so it was clear Shawn had a metamorphosis. The edge was gone and in its place was a man open to making a difference in the world and one who had found himself.  I think Shawn’s message is one more people should get in touch with.  I am very pleased Shawn has chosen to write a blog article.  Enjoy!

Shawn and I worked together at Microsoft a few years ago. We both left to pursue other career and/or personal options.  It’s nice to catch up with Shawn again. Shawn, can you give my audience a synopsis of your background.

I’m a business leader who has over 25 years of Industry and Consulting experience. I’ve had the good fortune to have worked in various leadership positions for Ford Motor Company, Ernst & Young, VISA, Deloitte Consulting, Microsoft, and Intel Corporation.

My areas of focus have been in Strategy, Management Consulting, Product Development, Sales & Marketing.  From an academic background, I hold an MBA from Purdue University, an MS in Engineering from the University of Michigan and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

I was raised in the Midwest and now reside in the Pacific Northwest and enjoy cooking, traveling and spending time with family and close friends.

The last time I spoke to you was upon the release of your book, “Moral Fiber: Awakening Corporate Consciousness”.  I found the book informative in a multitude of ways.  How did you arrive at the need for this book?

I was inspired to write this book after meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the first time in 2014.  As you know, he is a person that promotes the importance of, “living our values.”  In fact, I had the humble opportunity to meet with the Dalai Lama a few more times and realized there is a great opportunity to bring this secular mindset into a corporate environment.  Hence, I began to write. 

The book is about living our values.  It is an attempt to awaken our core values so we can handle any compromising or toxic situation both at work or home.  As you know, we have all lived them.  It is everyone’s right, no matter their age or position, to experience greater happiness and purpose in their lives while succeeding professionally and personally.  After meeting the Dalai Lama, I realized that we all suffer, but we can reduce it by returning to our core values like respect, compassion, and integrity, and then acting on them.  Since living my values every day, I have watched my life in corporate improve exponentially – I am healthier, happier, more productive, more efficient and more successful.  I figured if my life could drastically change just by knowing and acting on my values, then perhaps other men and women could transform their lives too. 

The quote you used in your job that personified your need for transformational journey, ”Its not personal; it’s just business,” in many ways depicts so many people in corporate jobs today. Yet its still a popular method of dismissing the responsibility we each broker for our humanity. Why do you feel this is so widely accepted and practiced?

It’s accepted because we have let fear take over.  Like many, I was afraid of the repercussions if I didn’t mold myself to fit the environment.  I feared losing my position, power, and future opportunities to rise through the ranks if I bucked the system.  Unfortunately, most of us get caught in a vicious cycle of toxic actions such as excessive greed, ignorance, anger and fear because of misplaced values. 

Psychologists say continuous exposure to this type of repetitive behavior can cause “psychic numbing,” which leads us to rationalize our thoughts and actions.  Similar to what we are seeing in todays divided country.  We have gotten so toxic and divisive that we have forgotten what defines all of us, being human. 

However, I do believe we can change this and that is why I wrote the book. 

You along with many other people mention the need to retain and practice the core values of ‘respect, honesty, kindness, fairness and compassion.’ Two part question. One, why do you believe this is vanishing? Two, if you could only pick one that would make the most impact on society, which would it be and why?

Actually, I don’t believe it is vanishing.  I believe it is coming back and strong.  Especially with the millennials and Gen Z.  This is what I call Conscious Capitalism being on the rise.  We are starting to see corporations taking a different approach as this new generation puts greater emphasis on compassion, empathy, environment and social causes.  This new generation definitely promotes people over profits and they ACT on it with their wallets as paying customers.  Most will buy from companies that give back and that is making the difference. 

The one value that I believe has most impact is compassion.  Without it, we are not human.  As the Dalai Lama says, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” 

The song says it so well, “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention.” But let’s mention one or two, shall we? What career decision was the most significant decision you regretted and why? On the flip side, what was your best career move and why?

The biggest regret was when I first started working after business school.  I saw a lead partner in a firm humiliate a subordinate in front of everyone.  I thought this was common practice but soon realized that it was just dis-respectful. No one deserves that.  Ever since, I have always spoken for the unspoken. 

Best career move was taking a step down to focus on myself and life.  Re-calibrate and anchor on my values.  Most of all, live them.  Surprisingly, it was this inward approach that allowed me to thrive professionally and personally. 

If you were asked to describe yourself in one word, what would the word be and why?

Balanced.  Balanced in my thinking, decision making and approach.  Before, I would let my emotions take over at a whim.  Experience and wisdom have taught me that everything is impermanent.  Hence, having a balanced mindset allows for greater clarity.  In turn, inner peace and joy. 

You write about the 4D’s – the four diseases that are plaguing companies today. Can you elaborate on these?

I am a staunch believer in people being the soul of a company. Their values define the company’s values. And if these employees have surrendered to excessive greed, anger or ignorance, then yes, a company has no soul left. I call this engaging in four diseases or 4Ds. 

  • Deception is the act of deceiving; making someone believe something that is not true.
  • Detraction is the act of disparaging; belittling the reputation or worth of a person.
  • Discrimination is the practice of unfairly treating a person or group of people.
  • Doubt is a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.

When people or employees choose to get influenced from the three poisons – anger, excessive greed & ignorance – they become victims to the four behavioral diseases and that, in turn, manifests on to the rest of the office. Instead of the companies, it is the people who make up those companies, who need to change at an individual level.

By people, I mean anybody from the leaders, managers and staff to the others in positions of power. This change requires courage. Courage of being fearless in the face of colleagues who have acted wrongly. The employees need to act in a respectful, balanced and timely way in giving their feedback. Staying calm always is the key. 

Most of us have a slightly different personality at work vs. at home. What are you really like outside of work? How would your friends and family describe you?

As the Dalai Lama once told me, “I am the same person at home and at work.”  The beauty in this statement is that you rid yourself of burden and anchor on just being true to yourself.  This is a very hard thing for people to do because it requires constant introspection.  Every morning, I try to be a better person from yesterday by living my values.  Simple things like being kind, generous and grateful.  Most will say, I am funny with the exception of my daughter.  As I get older, I have learned to laugh at myself more.  Don’t get me wrong, I am serious when I need to be but I have learned humor can be extremely disarming and powerful. 

Having good role models is very important to everyone today.  What person has influenced you the most in your life and why?

The Dalai Lama. 

The Dalai Lama once told me, “Your enemy is your greatest teacher.” With the passage of time, I realized that I was my own enemy. I say so because I had encased myself with good education, good job and good home, believed these would bring purpose & happiness in life. I had become so obsessed with attaining these things, that I showed utter disregard to the means of achievement. Using anger, greed & ignorance to attain the finer things in life results in us losing a bit of ourselves in the process.

This has resulted in many corporations and business groups losing themselves similarly. These organizations have lost themselves in this cut-throat competition, which normalizes toxic behaviors. This process has a name as well – “Ethical fading or Psychic numbing.” However, it was again the Dalai Lama who told me that I am my own master. He taught me that every one of us has the power to choose, which we must keep in mind always. Besides, we must also learn to untangle ourselves from the toxic behavior, and be true to ourselves. I am happy that a profound ‘conscious’ movement is already happening today among the younger generation.

Knowing what you do today, what advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Be fearless.  Be vulnerable.  Be strong. 

What are three key pieces of advice you have for today’s job seekers? What are three key pieces of advice you have for today’s leaders?

  • Take more risks.  Fail, fail, fail.  Get up and do it again! 
  • Follow your heart. Success does not equate to money.  Everyone has a different definition of wealth.  Find yours and achieve it! 
  • Live your values and don’t ever compromise yourself. Trust yourself and the world is yours.                                                                                 

What are the top 1-5 things that you are looking forward to in 2020 and 2021?

  • 2020 – Being over 
  • 2021 – Spending more time with family and friends
  • 2021 – Traveling to exotic places across the world
  • 2021 – Working on new projects with new people
  • 2021 – Try new things like Yoga

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