Figure 1.5 Tier 4 Earning & Results Power
“It's from Stanford Business School's longitudinal research. They identified the Fortune 500s that made the greatest profits over a hundred‐year period—and how they managed to do it. They were shocked to learn that the few firms that consistently did the right thing far out‐earned the entire results‐oriented, profit‐seeking US business system. It shows that when we focus on the bottom line, we tend not to get what we want. The best way to make money is to care about your people and your customers’ welfare, and that takes care of the bottom line. It means that the actual bottom line is doing the right thing. The financial outcome is only a by‐product.”
“I have such a hard time believing,” said Bella Cruz, “that Tier 1 and 2 people fail. They always seem to get ahead.”
“Many do at first,” I said. “But can anyone truly trust or really follow people who are malicious, cruel, and mistreat others? People in Tiers 1 and 2 get hate instead of love; good people leave them; and gutsy people confront them and even sue and prosecute them. Thieves cheat and steal, but they have to live in the shadows, unable to trust anyone. A few keep what they steal, but constantly waiting for a detective to ring the bell is a bad life. Their own people are likely to give them a harsh ending. In business, studies tell us that most results‐only and unethical firms fail.”
Bella slowly nodded her head. “But they sure hurt a lot of people before that happens.”
“And they'll continue as long as people don't practice their courage.”
I then asked Gary and Bella to each fill in a blank Tier 4 table (Figures 1.6 and 1.7).
| TIER 4 KEY INFO | TIER 1 WORST I COULD DO | TIER 2 ALMOST WORST | TIER 3 SHORT‐TERM RESULTS | TIER 4 THE BEST POSSIBLE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GARY PERSONS | Fire Aiden & ruin him personally | Fire him & ruin his career | Pressure and threaten Aiden to improve | ? |
Figure 1.6 Gary's Tier 4 Table
| TIER 4 KEY INFO | TIER 1 WORST I COULD DO | TIER 2 ALMOST WORST | TIER 3 SHORT‐TERM RESULTS | TIER 4 THE BEST POSSIBLE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BELLA CRUZ | Don't lay off staff & don't tell the boss | Lay off people & try to get boss fired | Worry, bad‐mouth the boss & hope for the best | ? |
Figure 1.7 Bella's Tier 4 Table
Reader, in which Tier are you, right now? Check your space.
| TIER 1 | TIER 2 | TIER 3 | TIER 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MY IDEAL CORE | ||||
| ME, RIGHT NOW |
Figure 1.8 My Tier 4 Table
Gary and Bella said they felt the strong tug of Tier 1 or 2 options. Seeing them laid out in front of them helped them decide to not go that way. They said that they hoped they wouldn't do Tier 3. Neither was ready to guess at a Tier 4 action.
“That's okay,” I said. “First, the tool shows us how fear affects our decisions. Second, it invites us to practice not impulsively giving in to fear and anxiety in decision making. In Step Three, we'll see what Tier 4 options look like and begin practicing them.”
Before we finish Step One with the Mindfulness Pivot, let's stretch and breathe. Try to breathe slowly and deeply. Fill the diaphragm and let your belly push outwards. James Nestor found that inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth is best for normal breathing.10 We'll see that breathing in this methodical way also reduces tension and uncertainty. (I've just paused writing to breathe and stretch.)
When Gary cajoled, punished, and played Tiers 1–3's reactive game of carrot‐and‐stick, he became mired in a protracted war of wills with Dr. Bellevue. Gary saw he couldn't control Aiden's behaviors.
But he could first improve himself.
Gary had experienced the Tier 4 Mindfulness Pivot. It's the radical shift from spending your precious energy on anger and fear to instead calmly correcting the self.
Psychologist Dr. Seth Gillihan finds that our fears inflate discomfort into existential threats.11 As Gary feared Aiden, Bella Cruz had given her energy to counting the reasons for failure and her terrible personal risks. Each had developed the habit of being anxious about having anxiety and fearing the fact that they had fears; they'd doubled their suffering to create a constant, negative, and troubled mindset. Bella's Mindfulness Pivot happened when she saw the reality that she and her department were doing well, that she could survive a disrespectful boss, and that she had endured far worse. She realized that anxiety and worry weren't helping her or her children, and that she could stop giving in to her unrealistic fears.
That pivot becomes real when we consciously and systematically recognize and then stop negative reactions to pressures and stress. That is our next step.
Notes
