Thoughts

Conscious Capitalism

Conscious Business Graph - Purpose, Stakeholder, Leadership, Culture

 

What if business is the answer?

To third-world development
To personal fulfillment
To strong communities
To world peace

Sure, it sounds grandiose, and it is. But this is what a lot of people who attended the Conscious Capitalism® conference believe. And many are making it happen.

People from all over the world – from huge corporations to family-owned businesses – converged on San Diego this April to attend Conscious Capitalism 2014: Building Fully Human Organizations.

I found my tribe.

I’ve always believed in business. I’ve often thought that doing good should not be reserved for the non-profit sector. I also think that people should be able to do good and make a profit.

Conscious Capitalism seems to be the answer. It focuses on four principles:

  • Higher Purpose – focuses on purpose beyond profit
  • Conscious Leadership – serves the organization; supports the people within the organization
  • Stakeholder Orientation – optimizes value for all stakeholders, not just shareholders
  • Conscious Culture – fosters love and care, and builds trust among team members and other stakeholders

It was thrilling to hear leaders from major corporations and those who serve major corporations talk about:

  • People and profits. Not people or profits.
  • Do and make money. Not do to make money.

And this gem, from Dov Seidman, CEO of LRN and author of HOW: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything:
“We’re going from a world of formal authority to a world of moral authority.”

Workshops I took included:

  • Meetings That Don’t Suck by Holocracy’s Brian Robertson
  • Disrupt and Delight Using Humanity Centered Design by BBMG’s Raphael Bemporad
  • Enabling the Full Release of Human Possibility by EnPro’s Dale Herold
  • Power & Consciousness: How to Be Powerful without Being a Jerk by Quantum Leading’s Dave Kashen
  • Unleashing Innovation: The Question is the Answer by Jump’s Dev Patnaik

Plus keynotes by:

Interested in learning more? Lots of people I talk to seem to be, which warms my heart. Check out the Conscious Capitalism website or find a local chapter in your area.