CEOs are concerned about employee engagement — and rightfully so. Unfortunately, the majority of such initiatives treat employee engagement as an end goal. Employee engagement is a condition — manifested by the inspiration an employee unleashes in his or her work when he or she is deeply connected to a mission, purpose and the values that connect us, says HOW contributor Dov Seidman.
More »Let's not call our wobbly progress from the brink of a global financial meltdown a "recovery." Why? Because we are doomed by our collective mindset to plunge into more financial crises as soon as we recover, says HOW contributor Dov Seidman. The problem is we continue to function according to a 20th-century operating system whose catastrophic bugs have been exposed as critical flaws.
More »Iced tea company Honest Tea has provided us another example of the honor system at work. And it exemplifies exactly what we need more of today: our best behavior even when no one is watching. While this may be a clever marketing effort, it’s also a 21st-century leadership approach to building trust by “giving it away,” says HOW contributor Dov Seidman.
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As 40 years of Earth Days pass, it's interesting to note that it is the business community that has backed the cause of climate change more than any other. Politicians have let the issue wane; individuals seem to care less and less about global warming. So why is this happening? In this more connected world, business is taking action for the right reasons, says HOW contributor Thomas M. Kostigen.
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The idea of "doing well by doing good" is so appealing that a slice of the financial industry is focused on persuading people to invest with their values without sacrificing returns. HIP Investor goes a step further, saying companies that are leaders in corporate responsibility outperform their peers. “But can any single model consistently outperform the market?” asks HOW contributor Marc Gunther.
More »We have entered a time when how we do things is essential to our ability to succeed, says HOW contributor Dov Seidman. In this “Era of Behavior,” shame is a powerful social and business force and a behavior rooted in sustainable values. Shaming can even be inspirational. How? Shame is a key element of self governance and an example of a self-correcting force in a self-governing culture.
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HOW contributor Mats Lederhausen sat down with The Business & Legal Quarterly to discuss what corporate social responsibility means, its benefits and disadvantages, and how to launch valuable CSR initiatives. As Lederhausen said: “I view CSR as a core business philosophy that balances the valid needs and desires of all stakeholders in an enterprise. … In reality, CSR is simply good capitalism.”
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Google’s threat to withdraw from China, rather than accept censorship, is a breathtaking example of corporate values at work and a landmark moment in the history of corporate responsibility, says HOW contributor Marc Gunther. It’s the boldest statement any U.S. company has ever made about doing business in China. And Google’s get-tough stance with China will be good for its business.
More »The financial and climate crises, global consumption habits, and other 21st-century challenges call for a "killer app." I think I've found it: philosophy. Philosophy can help us address the (literally) existential challenges the world currently confronts, but only if we take it off the back burner and apply it as a burning platform in business, says HOW contributor Dov Seidman.
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The trumped-up "Climate Gate" scandal has drawn an inordinate amount of attention, with climate change deniers using fairly innocuous evidence to question the integrity of all climate science. Even if the deniers were right — which they're not — the business case for investing in environmental innovation still holds up, as does the moral imperative, says HOW contributor Andrew Shapiro.
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