In 1997, on the eve of my graduation in Political Science, I was doing my internships in the strategic planning department of the company Petróleos de Venezuela. There I had the great opportunity to receive a training seminar with Dr. Steven Nakamura.
Nakamura, now deceased, was at that time a small, awake and robust man, about 75 years old. He had been a combatant in World War II with his brother Hideo, who by that time had already died.
Both brothers, descendants of a Japanese family, were born in the archipelago of Hawaii and, after the war, dedicated their lives to studying strategic leadership. During a weekend I had the great opportunity to acquire invaluable knowledge with this teacher.
I clearly remember that Nakamura conducted this seminar with simplicity and mastery. He brought us wonderful information contained under the methodology he called "The Aloha Culture".
In the Nakamura sense, the well-known Hawaiian greeting "ALOHA" also refers to a powerful way to solve any problem, fulfill any personal and organizational goal, and also achieve any desired state of mind or body.
The teacher explained that in the Hawaiian language, aloha means much more than just "hello" or "see you later"… "friendship" or "love". Its deepest meaning implies "the joy (oha) of sharing (allo) vital energy (ha) in the present (alo)".
As this energy is shared, one tunes into the Divine Power, which Hawaiians call mana.
The way to tune into this Power and make it effective is so simple that perhaps more than one person is tempted to discard it, because it is too easy to be true. Please don't be fooled by appearances.
Nakamura assured with his characteristic vehemence: "This is the most powerful technique in the world and, although it is extremely simple, it may not be easy because you have to remember to do it and you have to do it a lot until it becomes a real habit."
The central basis of the Aloha Philosophy is found in the development of an attitude of love and conscience for yourself, for your social and ecological environment and for the spirit of struggle to overcome obstacles and achieve victories, even where others have failed.
The first thing is to free yourself from all kinds of fear or hatred to fight and win in such an uncertain business environment.
This very spiritual philosophy has been taken advantage of by many companies and organizations under the conviction of forming worthy and valuable people for society. Money and productivity are added values that appear in the organization naturally and as a logical consequence.
And remember: if we justify our limitations; they will always be with us… have a happy and productive week. A big hug for everyone and may God bless and enlighten you in all your projects. Until next time…
