We as human beings are the products of various social and cultural influences. Although our personalities are made up of the combined forces of heritage and the environment, it is social, cultural and political influences that make us good or bad human beings and citizens. What are these influences and where do we get them from? These influences include the impact of the personalities of our parents, the environment obtaining in our homes, our teachers and the environment obtaining in our schools and similar other social and community groupings.
Even church also exerts a powerful influence in shaping us as adult human beings. If we grow in proper and correct social influences and surroundings, we actualize our potential well and become able to communicate to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves. As individuals we excel in our jobs and individual spheres in the organizations delivering efficient work. But these at best are disjointed efforts and do not make great organizations.
Such organizations, sooner or later succumb to the pressures of the times. For great organizations to thrive and survive, we need groups and teams of people who, with their combined talent and team work make that organization an effective organization which lasts and delivers value. There are a number of such organizations in United States who have survived long periods of turmoil and chaos and consistently delivered. This is the difference in being efficient and effective.
Mental and emotional identifications are also powerful social and societal influences that exert their remit to make great leaders and great organizations. From history we have the shining examples of Mahatma Gandhi of India, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela to name a few, who with the dint of their sheer mental and emotional power captivated millions and in two cases got freedom for their large nations from the colonial rule.
Social influences start early in the childhood, the way our parents behave and the kind of life they lead. Similarly our teachers are sterling examples of good or bad influence on us. The ultimate aim of various influences on us should be to mould our characters as strong and upright. As has been rightly said by the great Russian novelist of the 19th century, Fyodor Dostoevsky, “A new philosophy, a new way of life, is not given for nothing. It has to be paid dearly for and only acquired with much patience and great effort”.