I am currently reading Howard Schultz's book "Onward". One of his friends is Bono, the fabulous entertainer, philanthropist and producer of a Broadway play. Bono was a surprise speaker at Starbucks annual leadership conference held in New Orleans. He said "great companies will be the ones that find a way to have and hold on to their values while chasing their profits, and brand value will converge to create a new business model that unites commerce and compassion. The heart and the wallet....The great companies of this century will be sharp to success and at the same time sensitive to the idea that you can't measure the true success of a company on a spreadsheet." Well said but what does that mean?
For me, it's never just about just business - the hows and whats of what a company is doing that separates good companies from great companies. Great companies include the core values of Caring, Trust, Compassion, Being in the Service of others in their mission statement and strategy. They understand that even though they are in business to make money and be successful, they also are focused on a higher meaning to help and serve others and this message is spread throughout the company as a living and breathing entity.
Not many companies see value in this focus but it only takes one led by a strong leader who wants to make a difference and create a legacy of creating a great company. Richard Branson, Howard Schultz, Herb Kelkner, Bill Gates, the leaders of Google, Tom's Shoes and Tony Hsieh are some, how about you?
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