Conscious Capitalism and Purpose Driven Companies

Posted by clnews _Featured_, Conscious Business Friday, May 4th, 2012

There is a culprit is sneaking into every area of our lives. It’s called distance. We are terrified to get too close. We might get sued, be personally accountable, or, have to be too real and deal with feelings. Being too close might mean we have to take on added responsibility in a world where most of us are already overwhelmed.

When I am in the corporate world, training, I practically have to shrink wrap my head to get into corporate speak:

Leverage, fast track, massive-aggressive marketing, sweating the assets, finding the spin, flesh out, drill down, human capitol, key enablers, press lines, killer instincts, take no prisoners, big guns, wrap your mind around.

Would it be that hard to say, “We need you to be fully present and give us your best? Is that agreeable to you?” Apparently, that is asking too much of the 19^th and 20^th Century companies because, we distance and protect ourselves with this kind of gobbledygook corporate speak. However, there is a new 21^st Century phenomenon on the horizon called Conscious Capitalism or Purpose Driven Companies and it is certainly not your touchy feely, tree hugging concept, so let me tell you some interesting facts.

1. Companies devoted to a larger purpose than just maximizing profits for its shareholders – companies like Whole Foods, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines outperformed S&P 500 firms by a ratio of 9:1.
2. These companies usually outperform companies that do not follow this formula. Among the companies that have successfully used the model are: Starbucks Coffee, Honda, Southwest Airlines, Costco Wholesale, Caterpillar and Whole Foods Market.
3. Research has shown these companies have more impressive PE ratios, higher stock prices and a healthier bottom line than companies that focus more narrowly on making money.
4. Firms practicing “conscious capitalism,” as a group had collective returns of 1,111 percent over a 10-year period, compared to an average of 122 percent for S&P 500 companies.

So, what is this idea about purpose driven companies? It is the understanding that businesses have a deeper purpose than just making profit. Profit is integral part, an important part of its purpose but it cannot be the primary purpose if any company is to thrive.

We have now begun creating a new 21^st century vocabulary that reflects this greater consciousness:

• connected intelligence, conscious capitalism,
• shareholder wealth maximization, profit and prosperity,
• positive energy, transformative growth, employee engagement,
• customer delight, societal well-being- environmental sustainability
• transparency and truth
• purpose driven corporations.
• employee empowerment

All of these words and this movement toward a more conscious capitalism embody the truth that we are all connected. Wow, maybe if the corporate world takes hold of that reality, the rest of us can give ourselves permission to be purpose driven and conscious! We must begin to build partnerships and relationships of every kind on the foundation of purpose and principle. As Og Mandino said:

 I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink into a grain of sand. Henceforth I will apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy. ~ Og Mandino (1923-1996)

How? Refuse to live life second hand with Blackberries and computers and texts! Take a deep breath and go outside at dawn to see the sunrise. Picnic at sunset. The next time your friend answers your inquiry about how she is feeling with a throwaway line like, “I’m fine,” stop her and say, “No, I mean how are you really feeling. I want to know.”

Allow yourself to be spontaneous. Stand spread-eagle in the rain. Bath in moon light in the nude at mid-night.  Compliment a stranger. Take a Yoga class. Tell the truth. Ask for the truth. Drop the canned responses, sexy lines and effective sound bites that you are used to regurgitating and say only that which is real and truthful for you. Don’t repeat yourself. Don’t question yourself or your own sense of knowing. Act on it. Allow silence. Be willing to receive. Be willing to give, directly, face to face, hand to hand, heart to heart. No middleman. Risk deeper and more. Feel deeper and more. Love deeper and more. Most of all don’t let anyone one else do it for you. After all, it’s your purpose! You live it.

© 2012 Dr Dina Evan, Phoenix AZ

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Dr Dina Evan is a licensed psychotherapist and nationally recognized presenter and activist for human rights and spiritual consciousness. She works with individuals and couples in California and Arizona (602) 997-1200 www.DrDinaEvan.com