“The bottom line allows you to see where you’ve been, but not where you’re going.”
“At heart, Conscious Capitalism is a recognition that we are interconnected and interrelated. That business at its core is a story of ‘us.’ It is impossible to imagine a successful business that doesn’t have a customer, and in most cases, employees and vendors. By definition, it would be like trying to define a successful relationship of one person.
Business at heart is a story of ‘us,’ of relationship, and when that story of ‘us’ is based on creating value for every stakeholder, for every person touched by the business, then it is truly successful and sustainable.”
This approach that Doug articulates is not an abstract philosophy, but a practical approach to orienting and operating a business, which generates great results for all involved.
“Conscious Capitalism integrates an awareness that we have to consider not just short-term immediate gain but a longer term benefit. In practice, Conscious Capitalism is about making sure that your actions are aligned with your purpose, and coming from a recognition of just ‘us’ instead of ‘me.’
It’s an orientation that doesn’t look at trade-offs but it looks for trade-ups – opportunities to create value for all. When your employee is fired up they fire up your customers. When you treat your suppliers as partners, they go the extra mile for you when you need it. When you treat the communities you do business in with respect, they embrace you and your business. A virtuous circle emerges out these consistent, systematic acts of care and consideration, that serves you, your business and everyone else.”
© 2013 Jeff Klein, author of It’s Just Good Business: The Emergence of Conscious Capitalism & the Practice of Working for Good
Jeff Klein authored the newly released book It’s Just Good Business: The Emergence of Conscious Capitalism & the Practice of Working for Good – a concise introduction to Conscious Capitalism designed to be read in under 30 minutes.He is a trustee and executive team member of Conscious Capitalism, Inc. and producer of Conscious Capitalism 2013 and the 2013 Conscious Capitalism CEO Summit. He authored the award-winning book Working for Good : Making a Difference While Making a Living, and hosts a weekly radio program called It’s Just Good Business™ on en*theos radio.
For more information please visit http://workingforgood.com and http://consciouscapitalism.org, and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.
Image Credit: Boston Globe
