from PURPOSE to culture
It all started when…
Social good is commonly defined as “any action that benefits society at large”. It implies a positive impact on individuals or society. This definition has often been equated with foundations and charities, and rarely with businesses although most businesses could not survive without providing directly or indirectly some benefits to society. Social enterprise was created as an alternative to existing forms of private and public organizations to generate greater social and/or environmental impact through innovative services or products integrating financial performance, social benefits and environmental responsibility in the organization’s strategic decisions. The emergence of various forms of governance (benefit corporations, holacracy, employee-owned) and business-led movements (B-Corps, triple bottom line, the Fourth Sector, conscious, sustainable, green, fair-trade, regenerative) are reflective of a shared vision to transition from the dominant capitalist system into one that create a shared and durable prosperity for all.
PURPOSE IS THE SEED
Defining your (organization’s) purpose, values and principles on which you want your organization to be built is arguably the most important process you’ll face (they act like 4D pillars constantly adapting to new realities):
You’ll determine the type of organization that is right for you: non-profit, corporation, partnership and the subset of each of these core legal structures.
You’ll address your role in the organization and therefore the type of management structure you feel most comfortable with.
You’ll assess the fastest vs. most sustainable paths to achieve success.
And it will define your relationships with your internal and external stakeholders: how you relate to them and how your decision affect them.
When vision, mission, principles and values meet to bolster culture and transcend impact, this moment in your organization’s life represents an Idea(l) Convergence and offers the strongest opportunity to fulfill your and your organization’s purpose.
A CULTURE THAT BENEFITS THE GREATER GOOD
However, purpose is only the seed from which values and principles will be set and culture will grow, all of which will eventually be expressed through the individual or organization’s activities: material sourcing, employee development, research and development, social and environmental programs, consumer engagement and so forth.
“Culture matters the most. Intentional or unintentional, you’re going to have one. My advice? Think about it from the get go.” Kat Taylor - Beneficial State Bank
Culture is the living embodiment of your organization’s foundations. It flows through everyone, at every level, and as importantly it radiates throughout your ecosystem.
A regenerative culture leads to innovation and growth (very much like an ecosystem) and tends to occur organically when leaders foster and encourage the following:
Exploration - The greatest obstacle is to stop seeking information beyond what we know. While exploring your ecosystem, we invite you to look at it from an centrism view and as a whole (anthropocentric vs. ecocentric). It is a process that allows your mindset to shift from fixed to flexible.
People’s Development - People’s potential is infinite. It is one organization’s greatest and often untapped resources. We are constantly evolving, so is the world around us. Growth is often referred to an organization’s expanding in size and revenue. Here we look at people’s development as a driver of growth. Who knows who will come up with the next big idea?
Mindfulness - One of the most important aspect of a regenerative mindset lays in our ability to slow down-pause-reset-restart. It does help with focus and energy levels, but most importantly it is an incredible ally during trial times, when we become prone to questioning our journey and fall into self-judgement.
Symbiosis - Cooperation is at the heart of all healthy and thriving systems. There is not one species on earth that can sustain life without establishing a mutually benefiting relationships with other species. In this, we look at symbiosis as a tool to grow with others. We invite you to see suppliers and customers as interrelated communities.
Risk Taking and Learning - The core essence of entrepreneurship is risk taking. In 90% of cases, you’ll either fail or the finished product will be very different from the original idea. Implementing systems that allow for a reflective process in which you look at what guided your decision making - external and internal dynamics, data, interactions.
Responsible Leadership - Too many well-intention leaders - even the brightest - have made the news for not being true to their purpose, ignoring their employees’ concerns or simply displaying behavior that seems to fly in the face of the organization’s values. Integrity defines how we behave, wherever we are and being both transparent and honest about how you live your values {e.g. empowerment, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion, fairness, shared-prosperity …} is the most powerful way do demonstrate you are a force of change.