The Need for Conscious Companies
Conscious companies will transform how we work and build community
As the world continues to grapple with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, we’re all reexamining fundamental assumptions about the way we work, live and build community. We were essentially forced to take this respite from what’s “normal.” But, from a higher perspective, how often does this type of opportunity present itself? It’s rare we have a legitimate reason to stop, get off the merry-go-round, step back to take in the whole picture, and examine whether this ride functions the way we want it to, or whether it needs serious upgrades.
In a recent newsletter I described conscious leadership and how it will be the new normal for leadership moving forward. There is no going back to the old ways of doing things now. Our eyes have been opened. We’ve finally had the time to step back from the daily grind and examine what was and wasn’t functioning well. We now know old school leadership and how we build and manage businesses has fundamentally shifted. Empathy, diversity, sensitivity, and compassion are the topics emphasized in most management and leadership articles and trainings this year.
This is our chance to change for the better how we define business, corporations, companies, teams, and the very nature of work.
A few years ago Whole Foods founder John Mackey wrote a book about conscious capitalism. He believes capitalism as an economic system gets a bad rap because of the greed and insensitivity of too many corporate leaders. But in conscious capitalism, companies aren’t just focused on maximizing profit for themselves and stockholders at the expense of all other stakeholders. Instead, they take a holistic approach. They can help lift communities out of poverty, and also give back to all stakeholders (customers, the environment, local community, etc). They can have both purpose and profit.
I share Mackey’s vision for more conscious businesses and leadership across all work sectors. My desire is to see conscious leaders building thriving organizations that not only provide products, services and jobs to communities. They also become centers for human flourishing themselves.
Companies can be more than just profit centers. They can be transformative entities for the betterment of humans and the world. And not just the humans and stakeholders outside their office doors.
Too often we look at companies as merely a place we get a paycheck or build a career. Perhaps the company provides a product or service that helps customers. The more useful the product or service and how it’s delivered, the more successful the business. But how fulfilling can a job be if its only focus is helping deliver a product or service?
What if companies became a place of continued learning and growth throughout employees’ lives?
In the book An Everyone Culture, Harvard professors Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey present a new concept that I believe is the future of work: companies can be deliberately development organizations. Instead of focusing solely on hard skillsets that maximize profits in the short-term, what if organizations focused on coaching their teams to be truly innovative? What if they looked at every employee as a valued member of the team worthy of professional and personal development?
Kegan and Lahey have done extensive research on how humans continue growing and learning throughout life. Organizations that intentionally invest in the growth of their teams will not only see their profits increase, they will build a powerhouse of conscious leaders who are coached to achieve their potential.
We need more conscious companies that focus on building organizations that give back to the broader world and help usher in the era of conscious leadership. Some of you may already be sensing that call to step up as a conscious leader. If so, let’s connect. Working on yourself with a professional coach is a powerful way to step into your conscious leadership destiny. You’ll build a legacy of impact while building a future where the world can truly thrive.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
Meredith’s coaching helps conscious leaders step courageously into the future of work. Contact her to develop your conscious leadership and transform your organization into the workplace of the future.
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