It's not personal, it's business. (really?)

Charles Handy wrote a very interesting (and very deep) piece called "What's a Business For?" He pointed out many ways of how there are corruptions in American and European businesses. They've abandoned virtue and trust and result is loss of trust with the consumer and even the shareholders. "Trust, too, is fragile. Like a piece of china, once cracked it is never quite the same." "Markets rely on rules and laws, but those rules and laws in turn depend on truth and trust. Conceal truth or erode trust, and the game becomes so unreliable that no one will want to play. The markets will empty and share prices will collapse, as ordinary people find other places to put their money – into their houses, maybe, or under their beds. The great virtue of capitalism – that it provides a way for the savings of society to be used for the creation of wealth will have been eroded." (Handy, "Business")

Handy explains that the real justification for the existence of business is as follows:"The purpose of a business, in other words, is not to make a profit, full stop. It is to make a profit so that the business can do something more or better." (Handy, "Business")

He explains how business has evolved into something even American Capitalism wouldn't be proud of.  "Europeans raise their eyebrows, some- times in jealousy but more often in out- rage, at the levels of executive remuneration under stock market capitalism. Reports that CEOs in America earn more than 400 times the wages of their lowest-paid workers make a mockery of Plato’s ideal, in what was, admittedly, a smaller and simpler world, that no person should be worth more than four times another. Why, some wonder, should business executives be rewarded so much better financially than those who serve society in all the other professions?" (Handy, "Business")

Here is another powerful quote to illustrate how businesses have evolved into something that has much need of improvement.  "To many, it seems that executives no longer run their companies for the benefit of consumers, or even of their shareholders and employees, but for their personal ambition and financial gain. A Gallup poll conducted early this year found that 90% of Americans felt that people running corporations could not be trusted to look after the interests of their employees." (Handy, "Business")

Two solutions that I agree with are 1. "We should, as charitable organizations do, measure success in terms of outcomes for others as well as for ourselves." 2. "We need to associate with a cause in order to give purpose to our lives." (Handy, "Business")

In both of these solutions he encourages us to focus our efforts outwards, on others, and not on ourselves. It's impossible to be greedy, unsatisfied or even depressed when we are looking for ways to make a positive impact on our families and communities. Serving and helping others not only benefits them but also makes us happier. An added bonus is that the person or persons receiving that assistance feel joy and optimism to know and feel that somebody is on their side rooting for them. We should all look for ways to improve and uplift others in our communities.