This Sunday morning when I was doing my mostly daily social media post and scrolling my LinkedIn feed. I passed two posts in a row that could not have been more different. The first post was from a very prominent respected regional non-profit leader who posted about native American’s contributions to our economy through their environmental work. The very next post was by a business advisor I know who is modestly well known in a small community of advisors his post was all about how to drive your profitability.
It may have been the wording; it may have been the graphics. I was blown away by the negative feeling I was left with from this experience. It’s not that anything was “wrong”. The feeling I got from the first post was healing, positive, and collaborative. The second post was greedy, win at all costs, and competitive.
I talk and write about the need to reinvent capitalism. It clearly can be argued that it is one of the best things to happen to humanity. It can just as easily be argued it is the worst thing to happen to humanity.
A version of a famous quote (apologies I forget the originator) is It takes a great mind to hold two thoughts both equally true and in direct opposition of each other.
Another quote I believe is credited to Einstein is “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”.
I have never played a computer game in my life (I am not counting Pong back in the ‘’70s). No judgment on computer games just a fact of my life. I read an article over ten years ago in the New York Times about the computer that was very big then called Spore. Spore apparently was the game of life. You start as a single cell amoeba and grow into being human. What rocked my world was the founder/inventor observed to evolve from one level to the next you needed to strike a delicate balance between collaboration and competition.
Given since we first became homo sapiens (and probably before) we have been male-dominated patriarchy that is driven to compete for resources. Maybe the conundrum is becoming clear to you too? As a male, I clearly don’t think men are bad. I do however think we need more balance from our feminine sisters who are more prone to collaborate.
Through this lens when we get out of our heads and into our spirit and hearts, we can clearly say capitalism needs to be rebalanced or reinvented.
This would solve so many problems. The environmental crisis would find more workable solutions if we balanced competition and collaboration.
This is not men bad, women good. It is about bringing about a rebalancing of energy that has been out of balance for thousands of years before I was born. Of course, men think it is normal. It has always been this way. It is becoming obvious women have a different point of view. Who wants to voluntarily give up “power”? I do. Why? Because it is easy to now see the path, we are on is unsustainable in virtually every way.
On social media, I frequently use the hashtags #neweconomy #nexteconomy. This is the new idea of a new form of balance I am trying to communicate.
A balanced economy pays attention to both social and environmental challenges. It is the triple bottom line (equal emphasis on social, environmental, and prosperity) it aspires to be regenerative. It doesn’t care about your tax status whether you are for-profit, not-for-profit, or a social enterprise. These are not just nice things to get around to, these need to be top priorities along with our goal of prosperity.
Problems of the magnitude we face require everyone to participate. Now back to the original posts. I am all for prosperity that comes from be being in alignment, in balance. The segment of society that places profit over life has no place in the future I see.
So, what does this mean to you when you go to the office tomorrow? Your values matter write them down. Engage your team. That is a great start. Do you truly engage and empower the women on your team? Another great start. Just like all other aspects of your business your product or service, accounting, and finance, sales, and marketing, and of course dealing with the human beings on your team this is a learning process.
Let’s not throw the baby with the bathwater. Let’s take the good from capitalism and be open and excited about the opportunities reinventing the rest offers us.
Now, this evolutionary process is challenging. Wisdom, coherence, and purpose in your organization are not easy. That is why we are advisors and guides here on the path with you.