Wisdom goes for the Greater Good
Just last month the Harvard MBA program asked students and alumni to sign an oath that pledges they will use their management skills and knowledge to serve the greater good. Billions of business people already operate this way - in fact I interview many of them for my wisdom work and Doug Reeves and I interview many others for our field work for a book we are writing on individual and organization renewal (www.renewalcoaching.com). Social entrepreneurs have always had the greater good built into their bottom line - as Paul Hawkins writes in his terrific book, Blessed Unrest. And Angel Cabrera from Thunderbird Business School in Phoenix (http://knowledgenetwork.thunderbird.edu/cabrera/) urges his business students to consider the greater good. Heck, smart marketers know that concern for the greater good, in both business processes and outcomes, is a terrific branding strategy. People like to spend their money with companies that are connected to the good of the planet, people, and profit.
In light of these remarkable conversations about the greater good already in progress, I can understand why the oath from Harvard ruffles a few feathers. But I see it this way: The greater good is so important, that society needs a multi-prong approach to bring more people into the conversation. We need wide and varied sources talking about it and bringing it to the forefront. Harvard has impressive global authority - which brought media attention to the concept of the “greater good” and got more people talking about it.
As we emerge from the current bleak economic reality, I predict we will see many more new entrepreneurs willing to take the risks that come from working for yourself in exchange for a greater sense of independence. Combine this with the terrific energy coming from Generation Y - who are idealists and know how to use social media to generate innovative solutions as well as huge amounts of money, and we have not only hope, but action.
The greater good IS good business, and here is the incredible bonus: concern for the greater good has always been the work of the wise. The way I see it, not only is conversation about the greater good, good for business and good for others, it is good for the development of wisdom in the world. Lets keep talking about it.
