Profits and Purpose

Joy, Service, Rewards

2008-02-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from Theresa Szczurek (http://www.pursuitofpassionatepurpose.com/) that, together with the message in "Not Fade Away" (see below) resonated with me and may with readers of this blog as well.

In the email, Ms. Szczurek described how she had met all of her business development goals in 2007 but, when she took stock of her life as she prepared for 2008, she realized that she had sacrificed quite a bit in her personal life. Of course, this is something that many of us experience. Rather than beating herself up over the issue, Ms. Szczurek decided to use the lessons from last year to take action in 2008. The message she crafted for herself and that she now shares with her clients is: "first, follow JOY, then seek to be of SERVICE, and then reap the REAL REWARDS."

How often do we, in the honest pursuit of the things we believe we need to be happy, provide for our families, etc., truly "follow Joy"? I've also heard this described as a decision to "follow your bliss." It sounds easy, doesn't it? But then we run up against reality: "How am I going to pay for my ___________ [home, car, apartment, school, child's education - you name it] if I pursue my dream of playing lead guitar with the Rolling Stones?"

I don't know the answer. I'm not even sure I've decided what my own "bliss" is (if you have figured this out for yourself, congratulations!!). What I do know is that Ms. Szczurek, like Peter Barton in "Not Fade Away," is on to something very powerful.

Another example of this is contained in "The Dash" (http://s224403325.onlinehome.us/dashpoemmovie/), which was recently sent to me by my friend and business colleague, Bill Moye. In a nutshell, "The Dash" describes the dash that you'll find between the birth and death dates on someone's tombstone. The tombstone clearly identifies the start date and end date of the person's earthly existence. But how the person spent their life is contained in the dash.

So how are you going to spend your dash? I'd suggest that Szczurek and Barton offer some powerful guideposts for all of us.

Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived

2007-07-11T04:43:00.000-06:00

A good friend of mine recently loaned me a book entitled "Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived." The book was written by Peter Barton, one of the leading cable industry pioneers who helped establish such channels as The Discovery Channel and Black Entertainment Television, among others. The story was written by Barton (and co-authored by Laurence Shames) in the months leading up to Barton's death from terminal stomach cancer at age 51.

The subtitle of the book "A Short Life Well Lived," sums up Barton's life very well. Whatever he did, whether it was half-naked ski jumping on two mismatched skis, driving business colleagues crazy by always insisting that he be home in time for dinner every day so that he could spend time with his kids, or listening to rock n' roll music REALLY LOUD, Barton lived life to the fullest.

For those of us - myself included - who typcially wrestle with the second Life Question ("Did I become all that I could be?"), there are many lessons to be learned from this short book. Among them is the possibility that becoming all that one can is not about becoming the most "successful" business person (as defined by society's measure of money, power and prestige) but rather about whether one's life has been lived to its fullest. In that sense, Barton had, to his own satisfaction (which is the only measure that really matters) used his gifts and talents to live life to its fullest potential. He hadn't always known exactly where things would end up, but he applied himself with energy, passion and enthusiasm to whatever he was doing - whether that was having fun or building a business.

How many of us can say that we approach our lives - our jobs, our important relationships with children, family and friends, our sense of wonder - with energy, passion and enthusiasm? No wonder we often find ourselves adrift and our lives apparently without meaning.

Meaning in life is not something that suddenly is handed to us. It is revealed slowly, over time. But it is not a passive exercise. It requires our active, positive, enthusiastic participation. We can't sit back and let our life happen to us. Such an existence is destined to lead to frustration and disillusionment. We are challenged to create our own lives and it is in the act of creation that meaning is revealed. As Barton so accurately describes for us, life is meant to be lived vigorously, with enthusiasm, so that at the end of our lives we can truly say that we have been "used up." To Become All That You Can Be is not solely about your job or career. It's about maximizing your gifts and talents and living life to its fullest.

The Global Dialogue Center

2007-03-29T05:49:00.000-06:00

I've said in previous posts that meaning is understood in asking and answering the 3 Life Questions. What I've also come to believe is that one's ability to answer the 3 Life Questions affirmatively is inextricably linked to and defined by the quality of the relationships in our lives. These relationships include those that we have with ourselves, with our family and friends, with God (however one defines God) and with our business colleagues.

What's fantastic about the communications era in which we now live is the ability to share ideas across time zones in an instant and to leave those ideas "out there" in a more or less permanent fashion (this blog is an example). In doing so we can create relationships with people whom we've never actually met, but with whom we can develop a strong connection.

One such forum for the development and sharing of creative ideas that can help change the world is the Global Dialogue Center (www.globaldialoguecenter.com). It's been my extreme good fortune to come to know - without having ever met her in person - Debbe Kennedy, GDC's founder. Debbe is an amazing person. Her vision is to create a space where people from around the world can gather in a virtual meeting place to exchange ideas and to learn from one another. I believe she has done just that with the GDC. I strongly encourage you to check it out.

Recently, Debbe and I chatted about some of the "meaning" ideas that I've written about here and elsewhere. You can listen to the podcast of that conversation at http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/chriskenny. I would welcome your feedback on that conversation. More important, please go to (and pariticpate in) the Global Dialogue Center. It is a space where relationships - and meaning - are found.

Capitalism and Social Responsibility

2006-11-22T03:17:00.000-07:00

There is an excellent article that appeared in the October 2005 edition of "Reason" magazine. It is a debate among the late economist, Milton Friedman, John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods, and T.J. Rodgers, the CEO of Cyprus Semiconductors. Regardless of whether one agrees with the views of Friedman and Rodgers that a corporation's sole objective should be to maximize profits or with Mackey's view that corporations ought to be engaged in a more broadly defined mission, the debate is well worth reading. You can check it out at http://www.reason.com/news/show/32239.html.

The Heart of Leadership

2006-09-25T06:34:00.000-06:00

The following copyrighted article by author Robin S. Sharma (www.robinsharma.com) was sent to me recently. I think it offers some great lessons on personal and professional leadership. I have highlighted a sentence in the first paragraph that I thought would be particularly relevant to readers of this blog.

The Heart of Leadership - Reflections on the Rituals of Wise Leaders
© Robin S. Sharma

Leadership is not about the prestige of your title but the quality of your character. Real leadership is not about position, it’s about action. And great leaders spend their days helping those around them manifest their highest human potential while they work towards a vision that adds value to the world at large. (Emphasis added). As I wrote in “Leadership Wisdom from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” – “the greatest privilege of leadership is the chance to elevate lives.”

In the new economy, leadership will be the quality that separates the winners from the “also-rans.” With increasing competition, only those organizations that develop leaders at every level will have the agility and effectiveness to excel in these topsy-turvy times. The organizations that rely on the outdated “top down” model of leadership will not have the speed and nimbleness to go head-to-head against competing companies where everyone understands their duty to show leadership in the way they work and live. In my leadership seminars, I show peak performers how to liberate more of their leadership potential so they see quantum improvements in their professional and personal lives.

Here are 4 of the best lessons:

1. Understand that, at the end of the day, leadership is all about relationships. People will not follow you if they do not trust you. They will not invest in your products or services unless they truly feel you have their best interests in mind and sincerely care about them. Showing leadership in your work means that building high-trust, high-touch relationships is Job #1. To cultivate these bonds, peak performing leaders remember that the little things are the big things when it comes to building client loyalty. They keep their promises, doing what they say they will do when they say they will do it. They are punctual and respectful.

And they are courteous, always remembering to say “please” and “thank you” at every reasonable opportunity. If you simply fill the needs of your clients, they will remain with you until someone who can do it better comes along. If you deeply connect with them on a human level, they just might remain with you for life. As I say in my seminars: “People will not lend you a hand until you first touch their hearts.”

2. Remember that leaders strive for mastery over mediocrity. The quality of your professional and personal life ultimately comes down to the quality of the choices you make every minute of every hour of every day. As human beings, our highest personal endowment is the ability to choose our response to a given event. We can choose to get angry with a difficult client or we can see the circumstance as a gift - as a wonderful opportunity to deepen the relationship by dealing with the complaint in a creative, effective manner so that the client is so delighted he tells the world about you.

You can choose to focus on the increasing competition, regulation and complexity of the marketplace or you can concentrate on the almost limitless possibilities offered by this wired age. One of the most important choices that effective leaders make is to raise their standards. They commit themselves from the core of their beings to being true masters at the work they do. They are hungry to learn from the best. They spend time daily refining their talents and reading from great books. They take time weekly to reflect on the way they are conducting their businesses and course correct so the next week builds on the past one.

3. Stop doing what is easy and focus on doing what is right. Weak performers spend their time doing those things that are easy. They take the path of least resistance and do only what is comfortable and convenient. They never face their fears and make the tough cold call or give the big public presentation. Instead, they lead small lives, preferring to stay within a limited zone of security that never requires them to stretch their capacities. Bold leaders are far different. They have the wisdom to understand that the tougher you are on yourself, the easier life will be on you.

When you have the courage and strength of character to do what your heart tells you is the right thing to do in every instance, rather than doing what is easy, you will raise the quality of your professional and personal life to a whole new level. As the nineteenth-century English writer Thomas Henry Huxley said: “Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.” Or as Theodore Roosevelt noted one hundred years ago, the highest form of success “comes not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.”

4. Smart leaders know that the time is now. If you don’t act on life, life has a habit of acting on you. The days slip into weeks, the weeks slip into months and the months slip into years. Then we wake up one day, in the twilight of our lives, and wonder what could have been. As I share in my speeches, on your tombstone, there will be two dates: the date of your birth and the date of your death. You will have had no say in the first date and no choice in the second one. But between these two dates will lay a line representing all that lies between the day you arrived and the day you departed.

Stop putting off living. Now is the time to move to the next level in your career. Now is the time to upgrade your education or learn new skills that will allow you to serve your clients better. Now is the time to enrich your mind and shed the shackles of complacency. Now is the time to go the extra mile for your customers and distinguish yourself in a crowded marketplace. Now is the time to deeply connect with your family and build great friendships. And now is the time to enjoy the journey of life - before it becomes too late.

As Elisabeth Kubler-Ross said so eloquently: “It is only when we know and understand that we have a limited time on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.”

Leadership and Legacy

2006-09-12T05:49:00.000-06:00

Some individuals become organization leaders by choice; others, by chance. Either way, both types of leaders often wake up one day wondering: "Now that I'm actually in a leadership role, what is it that this organization is really all about? Come to think about it, what is it that I'M really all about? I seem to spend all of my time putting out fires, answering to the organization's owners, riding herd on my managers and staff, and making sure we have enough cash flow to meet payroll. Is that what leadership is all about?"

The answer, of course, is "no." The cause of the problem can be found in two principle areas: (1) the lack of a compelling vision (with a plan for how to get there) that the leader can articulate to his or her followers, and (2) a proper organizational structure that maximizes the ability of the organization to achieve the desired vision. Because there are volumes of business books devoted to organizational development, I will instead address the first of the two ideas identified above.

The degree to which a vision is compelling is directly related to the degree to which the achievement (and pursuit) of that vision resonates with the stakeholders' "will to meaning." The more the organization is able to articulate - to itself and its other stakeholders - a compelling reason for the organization's existence (how the organization is going to make life better for its customers, employees and owners), the greater the likelihood that the organization will set up the means to achieve that vision.

For many organizational leaders, the connection between the organization's purpose and the leader's own "will to meaning" is a very personal thing. Being so personal, many choose to ignore the relationship altogether or gloss over it superficially. This is a mistake. In my experience, effective leaders are those who see and consistently work to understand the inextricable link between their own will to meaning and the work being pursued through the organization.

If you are struggling with this concept, it may be because you find it difficult to start from where you are and build (in your mind) a plan for going forward. Your current situation may make it impossible to think positively or creatively about how to go from "here to there." If that's the case, think in terms of "legacy" and ask yourself: "What do I wish to leave when my work life is over? What are the things that, if I applied my unique gifts and talents, I could bring into this world that currently don't exist and that would be beneficial?"

From there, it's a matter of working backwards: project yourself into the future and create a clear picture of your legacy in place. What did you need to accomplish in order to create that legacy? What were the key benchmarks along the way that allowed you to know that you wree on track? What strategies did you use to achieve each of the intermediate steps? What specific actions did you have to take "way back" when you first got started (today) in order to set off in the right direction? Who was part of the team along the way?

Another way to help you design an organization that will help you deliver on your legacy is to ask and answer 4 key questions (I have to pause here and give credit to my friend Lanny Goodman, an exceptionally gifted business consultant from whom I've borrowed and slightly modified these questions):

1. What legacy do I wish to leave (at work, with my family, my community, my friends, etc.)?
2. How can my business help me achieve that?
3. What would such a business look like?
4. How do we get it to look like that?

For me, the first question above is directly related to the 3 Life Questions identified by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in her book "On Death and Dying" (sorry to tie in a book with such a morbid title, but it is what it is): (1) Did I give and receive love?, (2) Did I become all that I could be?, and (3) Did I leave the world a little better?

I believe that successful leaders understand - consciously or unconsiously - the connection between these 3 Life Questions and the 4 organizational questions listed above.

Leadership and Meaning

2006-09-12T05:32:00.000-06:00

Effective leaders understand that leadership and the "will to meaning" are inextricably linked. A leader is one who can articulate a compelling vision and communicate that vision to his or her followers. To be truly effective, the connection that calls people to follow a leader is one that resonates with the follower's own "will to meaning." The vision affects the follower because, at some deep level, the achievement (and pursuit) of the vision connects the follower with his or her own sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Why does this matter? Because leaders need to accept the challenge that this connection to meaning brings with it. Not all who walk through the door (or who may currently be in the leader's employ) are called to the vision. That doesn't make the follower a bad person; it just means that they are not the right person for this particular organization. Leaders need to identify those for whom the organization's mission is part of something deeper and more profound for the individuals who are a part of it. Without understanding this connection, leaders to often fall into the trap of looking merely for the right "skill set" - the technical attributes that seem to "qualify" someone for a particular position.

Successful leaders are those who are able to articulate a compelling vision and who systematically identify and groom followers for whom the organization's mission is far more than a paycheck.

Strategic Planning: Superior Planning by Engaging People

2006-09-09T07:27:00.000-06:00

I came across a quote from Dr. Denis Waitley today. It read: "The central secret of good communication is bringing the other person over to your side by satisfying one of every person's most fundamental emotional needs: Make him or her feel valued. With rare exceptions, people who feel valued – who are allowed to feel important in the sense that they are recognized – answer with openness, cooperation and reciprocated respect."

For organizations that have fallen off track (or perhaps have never gotten on track), I think this statement offers an important clue about how strategic planning needs to unfold. In far too many cases, businesses operate from a belief that strategic planning is the prerogative of management and executives. With this belief in place, they go about taking actions consistent with the belief. They have closed "strategic planning" meetings with the handful of individuals who have fancy titles or they hire consultants to come in and guide them through a planning process. Or worse, they hire consultants to come in, analyze the company, and tell the executives what to do - usually through a nice, glossy report that costs tens of thousands of dollars and which becomes a colorful paperweight). The result: an ineffective plan that costs dozens of people hours and thousands of dollars that does not produce any long-lasting change. (Ah, the BAR Formula© in action: a poor Belief producing the wrong Action and leading to an undesireable Result).

One of the key reasons that these efforts fail to achieve any long-lasting result is that they never connect with the people ultimately responsible for implementing them. Those folks typically are not included in the process or, if they are included, are asked to provide input with no real accountability associated with it (resulting in statements like: "We should....." or "The company really needs to...." rather than "I will...." and "Our team is committed to do [X] by [date]").

As Dr. Waitley points out, one of the most fundamental human needs is the need to feel valued. Organizations spend millions of dollars and most of their efforts focused on satisfying the "needs" of their external customers. All of that is well and good; after all, without customers, the organization would cease to exist. But with relatively few - and notable - exceptions (Southwest Airlines is one of the few publicly traded companies that comes to mind) businesses routinely ignore the need for employees to feel valued. They fail to tap into the basic human desire that each of us has to find meaning in our work. And meaning at work is tied directly to the degree to which each person feels a connection to the organization's purpose.

How can strategic planning make this happen? The concept is easy to grasp but often challenging to implement. In a nutshell, it means engaging your employees in every aspect of the strategic planning process. These are the folks who make it happen for you. They have FAR more to offer than the particular skill for which they receive their paycheck. Indeed, because the "will to meaning" (as Viktor Frankl put it) is so fundamental in every one of us, our employees WANT to contribute more. It's this sense of contribution that enables us to make the connection between what we do (for a living) and who we are (the sum total of our unique gifts and talents).

As Dr. Waitley points out, we human beings desire to feel valued. Tap into THAT basic human need and you will have a strategic plan that won't just sit on the shelf. It will be alive in each of your employees, every day. The results will astound you.

Becoming vs. Getting

2006-05-16T05:59:00.000-06:00

I came across a great quote from Jim Rohn (www.jimrohn.com), a very well known author and speaker: "It is not what we get that makes us valuable, it is what we become in the process of doing that brings value into our lives. " Mr. Rohn says something similar about the power of goals - that it is not what we get by setting and pursuing meaningful goals, but rather the power of goals is in what we become as a result of pursuing them.

How about you? To borrow the U.S. Army phrase, are you pursuing "all that you can be?" It's not about getting, it's about becoming. Shakespeare's Hamlet understood this fundamental question: "To be or not to be, that is the question."

If something is missing in your life or in your business, take a look at whether you are becoming all that you can be. Are you maximizing your unique gifts and talents by perfecting them and putting them into useful service to others? Are you giving your all (for it is a universal law that the more you give of yourself, the more you will receive in return in things that are measured in much more than money and prestige)? Have you spent some time reflecting on your personal beliefs? How about the beliefs that exist at your company about what truly is possible for the business and for each stakeholder who interfaces with the business (take a look at the BAR Formula™ below and remember that if you want to change the results you're getting, you must look deeper than just the actions you're taking to the Beliefs that drive your actions).

Remember, a deep sense of abiding value comes not from what you get, but by becoming all that you can be.

Passion, Purpose and Productivity

2006-04-28T07:54:00.000-06:00

I received an email recently from author and business consultant, Dr. Theresa Szczurek (www.tmsworld.com). In it, Dr. Szczurek asserts that "when you find your passion and align it with a worthwhile purpose, you are more productive."

I completely agree, for in this statement lies the principle (the word "purpose") of finding meaning. Yet too many individuals wait for their work to provide meaning, as if somehow their employer or their job were responsible for establishing the meaning. This simply does not and cannot happen. Rather, each of us has the uniquely human ability to define for ourselves the meaning (or the "seed of meaning") in each and every situation, including our work.

This by no means implies that every job is wonderful or will make us feel fulfilled. Rather, as Dr. Szczurek points out, when you bring passion to your work, and when your work is aligned with a meaninful purpose for you, the harmony created spurs productivity. Even where you don't feel that passion, however, you still have the ability to define the meaning of the situation for yourself (including the possibility that your current job is not fulfilling or rewarding because it is not in alignment with your values).

The pursuit of passionate purpose (which is also the title of Dr. Szczurek's book - see http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471703249/sr=8-1/qid=1146232957/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6686136-9048931?%5Fencoding=UTF8) is a worthwhile endeavor. But don't forget the role the YOU play in bringing meaning to every situation, even one that may not generate "passion." If you look for the "seed of meaning," you'll move more quickly toward your own purpose and your passion.

The Power of Beliefs and Thoughts on Circumstances: William Shakespeare, James Allen, Viktor Frankl and St. Paul

2006-04-24T06:32:00.000-06:00

The ideas embodied in the BAR Formula™ are not new. There are as old as mankind itself and they restate a universally true set of principles: that which man contemplates and chooses to believe through his thoughts will become reflected in his actions, which inevitably lead to the results he achieves.

William Shakespeare summed this up when he said "There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so."

Three centuries later James Allen, author of "As a Man Thinketh," wrote, "A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and the circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances."

Viktor Frankl, Nazi prison camp survivor and author of "Man's Search for Meaning", encouraged us to ask of ourselves at any moment in time, “What is life asking of me, in this moment? Exercise your freedom to choose in answer to this question. This is the most distinguishing, fundamental principle that sets man apart from the rest of creation.”

These three authors were in effect stating the BAR Formula™. That is, while we may not be able to directly change the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we CAN directly affect our response to them through our Beliefs and our Actions. In doing so, not only will we directly influence our Results, but by exercising our unique ability to choose our attitude and to find the seed of meaning in every situation, we will influence our circumstances.

St. Paul understood this connection between thoughts, beliefs and results when he wrote in Chapter 4 of his Letters to the Philippians that our thoughts should remain on those things that are positive and uplifting: "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Action, then, starts from a conscious decision to reframe our beliefs around those things that are beautiful, excellent, and possible within each one of us. With that mindset, we can approach the circumstances of our lives with a much more empowering set of beliefs, which in turn will enable us to find the meaning in our lives and will drive our actions in a positive direction. Doing so will lead to circumstances that support those beliefs, reinforce our actions, and lead us on a path of continuous improvement and fulfillment.

Building Great Companies and Great Jobs Through Contribution & Commitment

2006-04-17T05:11:00.000-06:00

A business colleague of mine once wrote that a business owner must ask and answer 4 basic questions: (1) What do I need and want out of life? (2) How can my company help me accomplish that? (3) What would such a company look like? and (4) How do I get my company to look like that?

While these 4 questions are extremely useful, I believe that the first question is slightly off the mark. As I've said in earlier posts on this blog, we each have the ability to define for ourselves the meaning in every moment. The deepest meaning in our lives derives out of love, which is expressed in our relationships with others. Love, in turn, is expressed in the form of what we give, not what we get.

To build a great company (or a great job), it seems to me that the 4 questions above make a great deal of sense, with one important variation. The first of the 4 questions should be reconsidered as "What unique talents and abilities am I committed to using at work in service to others?" The answer to this question gets to the heart of meaning in the world of work, which is found in its highest form when we make a conscious decision to apply our unique gifts and talents in service to others.

In addition, this revised question includes the critical element of commitment, for it is only that to which each of us is committed that we will pursue in the face of obstacles and setbacks. Deep, abiding meaning and personal satisfaction comes from the experience of giving the best that we have to offer in service to a cause or mission that is bigger than any one of us and that provides a benefit to others.

So the correct question isn't "what do I want", but rather "What unique talents and abilities am I committed to using at work in service to others?" Great companies and great jobs can be built from this and the other 3 questions described above.

Man's Search for Meaning and The 3 Life Questions

2006-04-14T06:03:00.000-06:00

Way back (today it seems like way, WAY back) in high school one of my teachers had us read "On Death and Dying" by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. The book was a summary of Dr. Kubler-Ross's interviews with terminally ill individuals. Dr. Kubler-Ross concluded that those facing impending death, when looking back over their lives, all analyzed their lives in the answers to three basic questions: "Did I give and receive love? Did I become all that I could be? Did I leave the world a little better?"

Those three questions have stuck with me ever since. I'm not facing impending death (at least, not to my knowledge!), yet one of MY underlying beliefs (see the BAR Formula™ discussion below) is that these 3 Life Questions really do matter. In fact, they matter so much that, for me, I try to be sure that I can answer these 3 questions in the affirmative, every day. I figure that if I can answer these three questions in the affirmative every day, I'll be able to answer them in the affirmative at the end of my life.

It also seems to me that relationships are the key to answering these 3 Life Questions affirmatively. It is in and through our relationships with others that we give and receive love (Life Question #1). By giving and receiving love, we become all that we can be. After all, being in a state of true, unselfish love is the highest state of being for we humans and is how we truly "become all that we can be" (Life Question #2). That state can take many forms and includes one's relationship with oneself, another person (spouse, significant other, children, friends, family members, etc.), and (for those who believe this) one's creator, higher power, or universal consciousness.

The fact that becoming all that one can be happens in and through our relationships with others also leads to the answer to Life Question #3: "Did I leave the world a little better?" This question asks not about what you "got" out of life, but what you contributed. Contribution, of course, takes many forms. But the most impactful forms of contribution are those that produce a benefit to others, not (exclusively) to yourself.

It is in the pursuit of being able to answer these 3 Life Questions on a daily basis that we also uncover the meaning of our lives which, as Dr. Viktor Frankl accurately said in his book, "Man's Search for Meaning", is the ulitmate purpose of man's existence. Moreover, as Frankl said, each of us, through our uniquely human capacity to choose our meaning and to identify the "seed of meaning" in every moment of our lives (in both good and bad experiences), can define for ourselves the meaning that our lives have.

As Dr. Alex Pattakos pointed out in "Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work" (www.prisonersofourthoughts.com), this uniquely human capacity to define the meaning of our lives is particularly important to apply in our work. (Additional thoughts on this topic may be found at Dr. Pattakos's blog at the Global Dialogue Center http://www.globaldialoguecenter.blogs.com/meaning).

I believe the 3 Life Questions and the principles described by Frankl and Pattakos are directly linked and should be applied in the world of work. So much of our lives are bound up in what we do for a living that it would be silly to leave the pursuit of meaning and the desire to answer the 3 Life Questions affirmatively to our "non-work" experiences. Rather, I challenge business owners, managers, and "rank-and-file" staff members to consider the 3 Life Questions and Frankl's principles in the context of the business enterprise. To what degree is the organization and its internal workings enabling all of its stakeholders (investors, employees, suppliers, customers) to give and receive love? To become all that each can be? To leave the world a little better?

Many will scoff at this notion. Yet I argue that the 3 Life Questions, coupled with Frankl's correct assertion that "meaning" is man's highest purpose, are directly related and must be included in the world of work if organizations wish to attract the best people and become sustainable. Relationships matter. They are where meaning is discovered. This is as true among the various stakeholders in the workplace as it is in the more intimate relationships that exist between individuals outside of work.

It's worth considering....

Organizations and the BAR Formula™

2006-04-04T12:03:00.000-06:00

How do organizations utilize the BAR Formula™? Organizations often do not take the time to consider the path that they are on or the deeper meaning behind their work. All too often, tensions build up within an organization, particularly when the results are less than satsifactory. When the organization does take time to review its (or its employees') performance, the examination usually centers around the objective numbers on the financial reports and the actions that may have caused the numbers to be what they are (both positive and negative). By focusing on results and actions, these evaluations only look at 2 of the three components of the BAR Formula™.

To be truly effective, an organization needs to be willing to look deeper. Actions, and the results produced by those actions, are driven by the individual and collective beliefs of the people within the organization. Therefore an overall assessment of the organization must include an examination of the organization's belief systems. Those that are empowering should be reinforced and celebrated. Those that are not should be eliminated entirely or at least marginalized as much as possible.

For example, in many smaller companies (where the founder is still involved), I often find that decision-making occurs at the highest level in the organization (namely, by the founder). In these circumstances I usually find that the founder is extremely burned out and frustrated with the lack of accountability or concern that she/he perceives among the staff. The staff, in turn, feel disempowered and disconnected from the organization's deeper purpose.

What's usually going on in these circumstances is a belief system within the organization that says that all decisions need to be made by the founder. Quite often this reflects the entrepreneurial nature of a startup enterprise where the founder is the source of psychological (and physical) energy, vision, and capital. However, over time the fact that the founder feels compelled to make every decision becomes an ingrained belief within the organization. This belief, in turn, drives the actions of the employees. Rather than trying to think for themselves or make decisions that involve any risk at all (including such monumental decisions as whether to buy pens and stationery at Office Depot or Costco), employees run to the founder every time. The founder at first feels in control of his/her "baby," but soon grows frustrated with the lack of imagination and responsibility of the staff. "Why can't they make a simple decision?" the founder wonders.

Of course they CAN make this decision; they are simply operating under an erroneous BELIEF that they are not supposed to make any decisions. The belief drives the actions of the employees, which in turn produces a series of results (frustration and burnout by the owner; frustration and disempowerment by the employees).

Many additional examples can be given. Suffice it to say that, as with individuals seeking to create better results, organizations that are looking to produce more effective results need to break the age-old habit of examining only results and actions and instead go deeper by looking at, defining, and questioning the organization's deeply-rooted beliefs. It is in the belief system that the organization likely will find the key to the results that are being produced.

The BAR Formula™ and Man's Search for Meaning

2006-02-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

Beliefs - Actions - Results. This is THE formula for successful change. Once you understand that your actions are the product of your beliefs (what you believe about yourself and the unique contribution you can make for the world, what you believe about what's possible, what you believe about other people) and that the results you see in your life are a product of the things you are committed to (because it is only those things to which you are committed that you will take action on), you're on your way.

What does this have to do with the principles outlined by Viktor Frankl in Man's Search for Meaning? Everything. Frankl correctly saw that the difference in people and their ability to overcome horrible experiences like the Holocaust was the degree to which each person has connected with his or her own "Will to Meaning." That is, what truly exists in our deepest being is to discover the meaning of our own lives (the answer to the existential question: "Why am I here?"). Frankl also correctly pointed out that, unlike every other being on Earth, humans have the conscious ability to choose for ourselves precisely what that meaning is, in any circumstance (including those situations in which we may be experiencing horrible tragedy and suffering).

The first step in employing the BAR Formula™ is to recognize that we each have the awesome power to create meaning in our lives. Life doesn't have to "just happen" to us. Nor do our organizations have to keep "bumbling along" the same old way. Instead, individuals and organizations that make a conscious decision to define for themselves what their deeper meaning will be have taken the first, critical step toward profound change and unstoppable progress! By making a conscious choice about the deeper meaning of who we are and why we are here, one is then in the position to make a transformative decision about one's own beliefs about what is possible for each of us individually. This is equally true for our organizations and businesses as well. By connecting to and defining a deeper meaning for our organizations, we can then examine our current state of beliefs as those beliefs relate to the deeper meaning we've defined. Do our current set of beliefs "square" with our deeper purpose? If not, then we need to ask, "Does this belief still have value, given the choice I've made about the meaning in my life?" If the answer is "yes," then by all means, keep that belief! It will now be reinforced by the meaningful connection to a deeper meaning and purpose.

But if the answer to that same question is "no," then it's time to discard the old belief and substitute it with a belief that empowers us by being aligned with our deeper purpose. Because the BAR Formula™ is the key to producing effective results, the alignment of our beliefs and our deeper purpose is critical to our success. Once we have a sense of our deeper purpose, together with a set of empowering beliefs that support that purpose, our actions and the results that we produce will reflect (and again, reinforce) the meaning that we have defined for ourselves.

Don't sell this short. Everywhere great achievement has occurred, it has been the product of a deeper purpose and an unshakable belief in the inherent value of that deeper purpose. The connection between the purpose and the beliefs that support that purpose have then driven individuals to take actions that others thought were impossible or crazy, producing results such as the polio vaccine (today celebrates the anniversary of the first mass innoculation against polio) and sending a man to the Moon and returning him safely to earth.

The BAR Formula™: THE Key to Successful Change

2006-02-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

Like many of you, I've often read statements such as "attitude is everything," "believe it and you'll achieve it," "whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're right," etc., etc. For whatever reason, it's taken me a long time to internalize these truisms. But after experiencing the Dewitt Jones DVD, "Celebrate What's Right With the World" (see post below), something's clicked for me, both personally and professionally. The quotes above have taken on real significance. As I work with companies across the country, I've come to see how true these statements are. And they aren't just true for individuals, they're true for organizations as well (makes sense: despite our tendency to give "life" to them, organizations themselves do not have an existence beyond the "live" people who are its stakeholders - suppliers, employees, customers, shareholders, etc.).

So what does all this have to do with anything? Well, if you want to accomplish something or change something, you always need to come back to this formula: Beliefs - Actions - Results (the BAR Formula™). Once you understand this simple formula, you are on your way to transforming yourself and your organization. Stated another way: results ONLY come from your actions and every action you take is based on your beliefs. So if you want to change your personal or organizational results, you need to change your beliefs first.

Celebrating What's Right With the World

2006-02-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

A business colleague of mine introduced me to a DVD by Dewitt Jones entitled "Celebrate What's Right With the World." Jones spent over 2 decades photographing images around the world for National Geographic Magazine (http://www.nationalgeographic.com). The DVD and Jones's web site (http://www.dewittjones.com) are dedicated to helping individuals identify the deeper purpose in their work and lives by viewing life through the "lens" of all that is good, beautiful and wonderful about the world in which we live and about ourselves. Like the writings of St. Paul, which encourage us to contemplate all that is beautiful, lovely, etc., Jones's DVD and web site offers us the same message: life is truly wonderful if we choose to view it in all it's abundance and wonder.

How does this tie in to the work of Victor Frankl and Dr. Alex Pattakos? Frankl and Pattakos describe man's "Will to Meaning," which is the exercise of our consciousness to identify and define for ourselves, in every moment, the meaning of our lives. Jones describes the difference between living a life of "success" (in the conventional, materialistic sense) and a life of "significance," which comes about through a shift in consciousness from all that is "wrong" with the world to all that is "right" with it (inlcuding all that is "right" with ourselves). Having said this, it's also important to note that Jones, Frankl and Pattakos are not "Pollyanna's." Indeed, for Frankl at least, meaning can be found - indeed, must be found - in the inevitable suffering and heartache that is part of human existence.

Jones offers us a method of refining our consciousness so that the lens with which we view our condition is one of beauty, hope and abundance. From that perspective, Jones suggests that life is no longer about finding "the" right answer, but rather remaining open to all of life's possibilities. Jones challenges us to refine and hone our God-given talents and to position ourselves in the place of the most potential, so that when life presents an opportunity (which it will if we are keeping our eyes open for it, if we prepare ourselves by refining our talents, and if we position ourselves in the best place to maximize those talents), we are ready to seize the moment. In short, life is not about finding "the" right answer, but rather about continously looking for the "next" right answer that presents itself to us.

In following the methodology Jones describes, one can define the significance of one's existence (Frankl's "Will to Meaning") and in so doing, lead a life of significance. If that's not success, I'm not sure what is.

Man's Search for Meaning: Practical Applications in Northern New Mexico at Tapetes de Lana

2006-01-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Viktor Frankl said it best: we are all on a quest for meaning. That quest has spawned religions, wars, midlife crises and career changes. Employers who have an understanding of the meaning that their business brings to all stakeholders (employees, suppliers, customers, community members, etc.) are the ones for whom turnover is rarely an issue. It has nothing to do with stock options or even salaries and benefits (though those things, when done well, can be a terrific way in which to express meaning). It has everything to do with making a meaningful connection to a deeper purpose, which is something rooted in the deepest part of each of us. Tap into THAT and you'll have the makings of a great organization.

Dr. Alex Pattakos's book, "Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work" (see post below and go to http://www.prisonersofourthoughts.com/), presents a framework for employers and employees to discover how to define meaning in the world of work. It is well worth reading. I am using many of these principles in my work with a dynamic organization in New Mexico, Tapetes de Lana (http://www.tapetesdelana.com). This is an incredible organization that not only produces unique products, but which is creating a dynamic, sustainable economy in one of the poorest parts of New Mexico. The work they are doing has deep meaning for all of its stakeholders and will have a profound, positive impact for generations to come.

Here are some additional sites that focus on developing and nurturing "meaning-centered" workplaces (I welcome your additions to this list):

http://www.themeaningdifference.com
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com
http://www.seedsofinnovation.com

Workers Want Fulfillment, Not Salary

2006-01-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

Fresh Inc., Inc. magazine's weblog, has a discussion concerning what employees want. You can find it at
http://blog.inc.com/archives/2006/01/03/workers_want_fulfillment_not_salary.html. To me, employers who create a connection to a deeper meaning that is understood and shared by all stakeholders are the employers who are well on their way to building a successful organization. Agree? Disagree?

Man's Search for Meaning

2005-11-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

In his seminal book, "Man's Search for Meaning", Dr. Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust, presented the principles of "Logotherapy." Logotherapy is a psychology practice that is based on the belief that what we are all struggling for is meaning in our existence. According to logotherapy, each of us is searching for an understanding of what our life is really all about. This endeavor is challenging because of the various sitmuli we encounter, which seem to "pull" or "point" us in different directions. However, the fundamental difference between human beings and the rest of reality is our ability to choose. And while we don't always have the ability to choose our circumstances or the external events over which we may not have control, we always have the ability to choose our response and our attitude toward our existence. Fundamentally, we can choose to find meaning within our circumstances (and thus rise above them) or we can choose to interpret our circumstances as without meaning at all, which is the beginning of our spiritual death.

What does all this have to do with work? I believe it relates in several important ways. First, I agree with Dr. Frankl's premise that individuals are searching for meaning in their lives. This is why most employees find more satisfaction in praise in acknowledging a job well done and the connection to the company's larger purpose than they do in reward systems that are based solely on money (this is not to discount the value of such reward systems, it's only to suggest that they do not have they same type of long-lasting, positive impact; once the monetary stimulus is gone, behavior generally reverts back to its former state).

Second, because we all spend so much of our waking lives at work, we are all looking to understand the deeper connection between what we do at work and the larger purpose of the enterprise. If an individual views his or her work merely as a "job" or a "paycheck", chances are quite good that this individual may not be giving his or her "all" at work and that he or she would likely leave the employer for any other job that pays even slightly more in wages. On the other hand, individuals who feel the connection between their specific task(s) and the larger purpose of the organization are much more likely to feel pride in their individual performance and loyalty to their employer (or at least to the specific type of employment in which they are engaged).

What all this means for employers is that they should recognize, both in themselves and in their co-workers, the fundamental need we all have in understanding the meaning in our lives in through our work. Developing a deep understanding of meaning at work should be a constant focus for those in management. This goes well beyond crafting a nicely worded Mission Statement. That exercise, while useful, is usually a "one-time" event that may help create meaning for a short while but soon becomes merely "words on paper" that is given no thought or effect in actual practice.

Rather, employers should move beyond the traditional "Mission Statement" to a more thorough, ongoing analysis of what it means to be engaged in "this" kind of work (whatever "this" is). A well thought out Mission Statement is valuable in this sense, but only if the principles embodied in the Mission Statement are constantly reviewed for their relevance in connection with the deeper purpose of the enterprise. What does this business do to benefit the world? The local economy? What opportunities does this business give to its customers? It's employees? How does this enterprise "give back" to the community? How does every job within the organization contribute positively to the answers to the preceding questions? How should employees exercise their power of choice to identify the deeper meaning in what they are doing at work?

Connection. Connection. Connection. People are looking for connection to something bigger and more meaningful. Employers should create an atmosphere in which individuals can develop this type of connection at work. Doing so will create powerful, long-term dividends for everyone associated with the organization.

Innovating Personas

2005-10-26T21:05:00.000-06:00

There is an exerpt from Tom Kelley's book, "The Ten Faces of Innovation", in the October 2005 edition of Fast Company magazine http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/99/faces-of-innovation.html. The article (and the book) brings home a point that often is lost in business today: the key role that people play. According to the author, "Innovation is all about people." Kelley goes on to describe 10 "personas" that he encourages his clients to adopt as part of their internal teamwork. These personas help break the logjams that often stifle innovation and also serve to keep the "Devil's Advocate" in his or her place.

An important premise in Kelley's work: people matter. If you're going to have a workplace that fosters contribution and innovation, remember, you have to create an environment of empowerment where people feel heard and find meaning in what they're doing. And, more often than not, meaning can be found by enabling colleagues to feel that they are contributing to the organization and to the organization's mission.

Enlightened Capitalism

2005-10-05T10:36:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting conversation with some friends and family members the other night. The question centered on whether capitalism can serve to promote societal well-being, or whether capitalism will always and everywhere be concerned solely with profit. A great deal of the conversation centered on the Wal-Mart model which, to me, represents some of the worst in American capitalism. This isn't to say that Wal-Mart hasn't done many wonderful things. In addition to providing millions of dollars to worthwhile causes, Wal-Mart has brought employment to several high unemployment areas and has provided many communities with access to goods and services that those communities might otherwise do without. And while I share the concern of many about the negative effects Wal-Mart has had on many local businesses, that isn't my primary objection. Rather, it's the manner in which Wal-Mart treats its suppliers and its employees that places them in the "capitalism gone wrong" category. (See, for example, Fast Company's December 2003 article by Charles Fishman entitled "The Wal-Mart You Don't Know" http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html).

I believe that there is a more "enlightened" form of capitalism: one that is focused definitively on a profitable bottom line but that is concerned equally with how that bottom line is achieved. Certainly companies like Wal-Mart are to be applauded for donating millions of dollars to worthwhile causes. Yet isn't a better model a company that treats its suppliers fairly (rather than using its market share to demand significant annual production cost cuts that drive employment overseas) and one that provides its employees with meaningful wages and benefits (rather than scheduling employees in a manner that doesn't grant them "full time" status so that the employer isn't required to pay benefits)?

I believe the answer is "yes." Moreover, I believe such a model is extremely realistic and need not rely on government regulation to be achieved (as some of my friends suggested). There already are dozens of companies that are looking beyond the single bottom line of profit and many of these double and triple bottom line firms are generating higher returns than more traditional companies (see, e.g., http://www.business-ethics.com/100best.htm).

What these companies share is not some "altruistic" motive. Rather, these more "enlightened capitalists" recognize that the long-term sustainability of their enterprise is inherently dependent on the long-term sustainability of its workforce, its suppliers, its community and the planet that we all need for our livelihood. Consciously or not, these firms approach reality from neither the traditional "capitalist" mentality of "the pie is only so big and my job is to grab as much of the pie for myself as possible," nor the socialistic view that all wealth should be distributed so as to make everyone as equal as possible. Instead, the underlying premise behind these many successful double and triple-bottom line firms is that their enterprise can not only compete and get a big slice of the pie, but that intelligent, capitalistic business practices can help make the pie bigger. To me, that type of thinking defines the "enlightened capitalist." It is that type of thinking that I believe will not only sustain capitalism as the most dynamic economic force known to man, but which will, in the end, serve to raise the standard of living and quality of life of all who are touched by it.

I welcome other points of view.

Mother Theresa's 10 Principles of Leadership

2005-06-13T05:54:00.000-06:00

I came across this today and think these are some fantastic principles of leadership (whether one is engaged in a for-profit or non-profit organization):

1. People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered (including me). Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the littlest people with the littlest ideas. Think big anyway.
7. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you will get kicked in the teeth. Give the best you have anyway.

"Worthwhile" Magazine is Just That

2005-04-26T16:00:00.000-06:00

Recently I came across Worthwhile magazine (http://www.worhwhilemag.com). This is well worth reading for anyone interested in the work of for-profit, socially responsible organizations (there's also plenty on nonprofit organizations as well). The magazine is filled with information, great quotes, and examples of ordinary people (and businesses) doing extraordinary, meaningful things with their companies and their lives. Kudos to the founders, editors and staff - I wish you much success!!

Socially Responsible Investing

2005-03-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

For those interested in socially responsible investing, there are many resources available. One particularly helpful index is maintained by the Calvert Fund. And while Calvert deals with large, publicly traded companies, the criteria used by Calvert to establish its index are useful when considering investments in smaller NFPO's (Not For Profit Only companies) as well. The factors Calvert examines are: The subject company's impact on the Environment; Workplace issues; Product safety and impact; Community relations and impacts; Military weapons contracting; International operations and human rights; and Indigenous people's rights.

For small to medium-sized NFPOs (or those looking to become more socially responsible), several of these factors are worth considering. Internal policies and procedures, employee benefits, pay rates and incentives, procurement practices, product safety, and environmental sustainability are all important areas that need to be - and can be - addressed in a systemic, profitable fashion.

For more information on the Calvert Fund and its SRI criteria, visit them at http://www.calvertgroup.com/sri_815.html.

Helping Social Ventures Through STAR Group

2005-03-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce my partnership in STAR Group, an Albuquerque-based consulting firm. STAR Group has a history of success getting clients FOCUSED, COMMITTED, and IN ACTION. To learn more about STAR Group and how we might help your for-profit, nonprofit or governmental organization achieve significant results, please visit our web site at http://www.stargroupconsulting.com.

Fast Company's Second Annual Social Capitalist Awards

2005-01-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

Once again, Fast Company magazine has come out with its annual Social Capitalist awards http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/90/open_social-capitalists-intro.html. The magazine presents its annual series of awards to those organizations that truly are having an impact on our economy and on our society. While these awards are geared to the nonprofit sector, they nevertheless point out the significant benefits that organizations such as these can have. Moreover, these organizations would not be able to achieve the level of success that they do without running their operations as legitimate, sustainable businesses. We can all learn from these great business leaders.

PeaceWorks: Promoting Profitable Trade and Middle East Peace

2004-11-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Another NFPO worth examining is PeaceWorks, founded in 1994 by Daniel Lubetzky. Like Equal Exchange (see below), PeaceWorks is also featured in the November 2004 edition of Fast Company magazine (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/88/socialcapital.html). Take a look at their "Mission & Impact Statement" at http://www.peaceworks.com/aboutUs/missionImpact.html. There are some bloggers out there who dismiss the notion that trade among Arabs and Israel's will have any impact on lasting peace in the region. I suppose that it is fair to question whether the practices employed by PeaceWorks will change thousands of years of animosity. Then again, why not? Moreover, the private sector often can make things happen where government policies cannot. Certainly the vision and the principles on which PeaceWorks has been built deserve our attention. A related initiative started by Mr. Lubetzky is OneVoice: Silent No Longer (http://www.silentnolonger.com), which is based on the premise that there is a "silent majority" of moderates on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict whose desire for peace has been hijacked by extremists on both sides.

Making Money and Preserving the Land: Montosa Ranch Estates

2004-11-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

Anthony Anella (www.anella.com) is an award-winning architect and one of the most accomplished, principle-driven architects I know. Working with a rancher in Magdalena, New Mexico, Tony and his associates developed Montosa Ranch Estates. This development, located 2 hours south of Albuquerque, applies the principles of "sieve mapping" (a method by which the architect uses the natural contours of the land to determine where to build and where to leave the land in its natural state) on land preserved through a conservation easement. The result? A development that allows the land owner the ability to derive meaningful economic value from his property (through the development of luxury homes) while at the same time preserving the natural beauty of the land in perpetuity through the conservation easement. This is the type of NFPO idea that results in a win-win-win (a win for the land owner because he is able to realize economic value from his land; a win for the consumer because the homeowner has the certainty of being surrounded by land that will forever remain protected from further development; and a win for the rest of us because a beautiful piece of land will be preserved from over-development due to the conservation easement). To learn more about the Montosa Ranch, visit www.montosaranch.com. Tony has also co-authored a book describing his work on the Montosa Ranch project. The book, entitled "Saving the Ranch", may be previewed at www.anella.com or by clicking on this link: http://www.islandpress.org/books/detail.html?SKU=1-55963-473-1 (be sure to click on the "photo gallery"). Additional information on conservation easements may be found at www.conservationdesign.net.

Prisoners of Our Thoughts : Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work

2004-11-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

Dr. Alex Pattakos has written a terrific book about finding meaning in the world of work. The book provides insights into how to apply Dr. Victor Frankl's logotherapy principles to your life and work. It's well worth reading. To learn more, use the following links: Amazon.com: Books: Prisoners of Our Thoughts : Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work or Barnes&Noble.com - Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work.

Net Impact Conference

2004-11-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in the topics discussed in this blog, you may want to attend the 12th Annual Net Impact Conference, being held in New York City November 11-14, 2004. Hosted by the Columbia Business School, the conference, entitled "Business Leaders Building a Better World," will feature the following keynote speakers: Orin Smith, CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company (http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csr.asp); Julius Walls, Jr., CEO, Greyston Bakery (http://www.greystonbakery.com) and Vice President, Enterprise and Jobs Development at Greyston Foundation (http://www.greyston.org) ; Gary Erickson, CEO of Clif Bar (http://www.clifbar.com); Jeffrey Hollender, CEO of Seventh Generation and author of "What Matters Most" (http://www.seventhgeneration.com); and Thomas M. Chappell, CEO and Co-Founder of Tom's of Maine (http://www.tomsofmaine.com) and President of The Saltwater Institute (http://www.saltwater.org).

For more information or to register for the conference, check out Net Impact's web site at http://www.net-impact.org.

"Not For Profit Only"

2004-11-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few additional articles that describe the types of companies that are becoming increasingly important to our national economy. These companies are described using many labels, including "socially responsible." The one I like is "NFPO," which stands for "Not For Profit Only." That's a more accurate description of the types of companies that this blog focuses on. These companies live by the principle that being "for profit" and being "socially responsible" need not be, and indeed, ought not to be, incompatible. These are the types of companies that consumers are demanding and which therefore are going to become a larger and larger percentage of the U.S. GDP.

What is so powerful is the ability of these companies to incorporate socially responsible business practices, not just because these practices reprsent "the right thing to do," but because the nature of the practices themselves drive a more successful (and profitable) enterprise by developing a better product or service (for a solid example of this principle, check out the Fast Company article below that features a company called Equal Exchange).

None of this is to suggest that building and maintaining such a company is easy. In addition to the many challenges that all entrepreneurs face, a socially responsible company has the added difficulty of staying "true" to its mission, even as it grows (take a look at the Inc. magazine article on Seventh Generation.) That's where I can help. If you are a principal in such a company and are struggling with how to position your company for solid growth while maintaining your mission and vision, I'm the guy to contact. I'd love to speak with you.

Fast Company - Trade Secrets

Inc.com - Seventh Generation

Inc.com | Can Business Still Save The World?

"For Profit" Social Entrepreneurs

2004-08-27T22:46:00.000-06:00

One of the most inspirational business articles I have ever read can be found using the following link: Fast Company | Social Capitalists. In this article, author Cheryl Dahle reports on 20 businesses that are indeed changing the world. That these owners of "for profit" enterprises have, as their central purpose, an overriding mission to serve others in a very meaningful way awakened me to my true calling: drawing on my talents and abilities as an attorney, an entrepreneur, a professor of business ethics, and a meeting facilitator, in order to help these business owners thrive. That is what my mission is all about, and that is what this blog is all about. I welcome your ideas, critiques, articles, and links to useful information on this topic. It is my desire that this type of business become more and more a part of the mainstream economy. If so, our lives and our world will be much the better for it.