Responsibility, cause marketing, even social
enterprises are not necessarily Good Business

Sorry but all these companies and ventures who
tell the socially responsible story and don't transform
every human experience – aren't good business at all.

Good business is of integrity with consistent values
and yes transforming because of it's impact on people.
Period.

So whether your business model is a triple
net bottom line, ngo or for profit the real question
is; is it a good business.

A good business has a clear vision, a tribe galvanized
around agreed upon values, sustainable financial outcomes
resulting from adding value innovatively to others.

I find it ludicrious that one would fly a banner of social
responsiblity over a business that  treats their employees
with disdain, break contracts, and who doesn't have
a system of accountability inside their company for
value based decision making and actions…well that's
not good business- it's not integrity and it's not
values based business.

Values based business,
good business; is business that matters.

I've re-engineered business cultures moving them to a
value based, good business model in ventures as small as one
unit with 2 people and as large as 60 units serving over 30,000
clients a week and believe me, values based businesses
are good in all areas; people, value, innovation and profit.
Value based businesses have an integrity that is often missing
from paste on social responsibility, cause marketing, do good
event mentalities.

Good business transforms how
people are treated; every day as a way
of being. Good business enhances lives
by it's every decision and every action.

So my question today is
how good is your business…really?

I love business for this very reason; when it's good
it changes the world, it transforms people it creates
change, re-invention and well it's just cool…

Good businesses aren't worried about their
external reputation as much as they are
about being of integrity; being and saying what
they are. They are more concerned about providing
value and innovation and living out the values
they've agreed to then wearing a mask and
buying ads to tout their corporate halo.

Good businesses show up in this world consistent
in their actions and behaviors and they empower
their tribe to live their values; the behavior norms
that they have agreed are really them…

Good business isn't a piece of paper with the team values
hanging in the break room. Good business is an experience
that manifests in every moment of truth with
teh business because the entire tribe is galvanized to attain
the vision and live an breathe the values.

Values have integrity when they are lived, not talked about.
Good business takes the values and
makes them moment by moment filters for every
action, every decision and every thing the company does.
This is called integrity and it's the number one
characteristic of good business.

Good business has clear intent. Clear intent
is vision- the end in mind. Good business hires,
trains, rewards, recognizes; integral
moment by moment decisions and actions
congruent with the teams values.

 Good businesses elicit
feedback from every tribal member and
evaluates and holds everyone accountable for
living the values 24/7. Period. 

You see good business isn't a charity event,
 a line item on the P and L;  a social responsibility
department, campaign or marketing event.

 No good business is a holistic, integral commitment by the founder
and the leaders to be a transforming entity based on a clear
vision and consistently acted upon values. It's a place where
how and who we are……. is as important if not more than what
you do and make.

Good business is a feeling, a belief, a
way of being and doing that well…is transforming.

So how good is your business? Your leadership? Your life?

Pam Hoelzle
<a href="http://freebiespress.com">freebiespress.com</a>
pamhoelzle on twitter