Collage by the author
Collage by the author

This post was written by Len Caballes, volunteer.

Like a smile, positivity is infectious and often yields tremendous benefits to those that employ it effectively.  A positive self-image and knowing the very best things about one’s persona allows for healthy introspection. Think of this realization as a small drop in a pond – after a while, the ripples make their way to the rest of the space with long-lasting effects.

Art for AIDS International’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Hendrikus Bervoets, speaks of high self-esteem as a conduit to effect not only one’s daily interactions, but those of others as well – fostering positive engagements (be it personal or professional) is a gift that keeps on giving.

From a personal standpoint, a positive self-image affords people a level of respect towards each other that is sadly absent in today’s digital world. Interactions are cold and often times distant in nature – the art of effective conversations suffers from a lack of respect and connection between people.

In the corporate space, interactions are more polished but equally cold. Professional language in our Western culture is often viewed as uninviting or impolite in non-Western countries. If employees are a company’s greatest assets, what’s to say about an employee that has a negative self-image? Would you want to engage an employee that isn’t fully invested in the company? Furthermore, would you be inclined to do business with a company that engages in one-sided commerce?

An employee that is fully engaged and positively invested in their work demonstrates this through their interactions with colleagues, and potential clients alike. From my experience in the corporate world, businesses want to partner with organizations that are engaged with the work that they do – it shows a level of care and attention that again, is missing in today’s corporate arena.

I have written about my workshop experiences and lauded its positive benefits. If one was to apply that to the corporate space, an organization would see tremendous returns in a team building exercise with the help of Art for AIDS International. If you’re curious about how we can help, I would encourage you to visit our website or reach out to Hendrikus Bervoets directly.