- The money will always be a primary factor in business decisions.
- Businesses are immortal for as long as they make money. They do not aim to change the world or leave a legacy.
- Businesses don’t have morals.
However, I don’t believe this is the way it should be, nor that genuinely great businesses live by those rules.
Why only look at what you can measure in monetary terms, what about the rest?
What about one of your best employees that needs to take leave for a period. Perhaps he regularly works unpaid overtime, maybe he publicises your business to all and sundry, or does substantial research in his own time. Then you apply your company leave policy, make him take unpaid leave and destroy all motivation. Bottom-line looks okay - we’re saving money [pat on the back], but you’re ruining far more than you’re “making”.
How about cutting employees lunches [or not giving them a meal at all], cutting back on office furniture spending, etc. How much more will your best employees take until they walk out the door. You’ll “save” a lot in cost terms [another pat on the back], and hey, you’ll save even more when those suckers leave [another big pat, and why not a bonus too for keeping all this money]. And when your customers walk because you can’t service them properly….
Whatever!
Zig Ziglar said “Service to many leads to greatness”, and I believe it’s a pursuit of a real purpose that brings true success to a business, money will follow after that.You can spot a business without a purpose a mile away. They may make a lot of money, but they don’t make a difference. And frankly, I think you’d struggle to find anybody [including the management and shareholders] that cares even the tiniest bit about that company [sure they care as long as the paychecks and dividends are flowing, but nothing is real]
A business with a purpose… that’s an entirely different story. Shareholders love the company and value it shares profoundly. Employees don’t want to leave. Customers can’t get enough. Suppliers fight for a chance to be a part of their world. And yes, they make some money along the way too. But that doesn’t really matter, anyway, because WE’RE TOO BUSY CHANGING THE WORLD!
Which one would you instead work with? Work for? Be a shareholder of?
Money is just a tool. Why on earth make a tool your sole reason for existence?Conclusion - I believe business can successfully pursue an objective other than making as much money as possible, and if they’re smart, they’ll make money along the way anyway.
Because some things in life are so much more important than money
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