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The Art of
Compassionate Business
Main Principles for the
Human-Oriented Enterprise
The Art of
Compassionate Business
Main Principles for the
Human-Oriented Enterprise
By
Dr. Bruno R. Cignacco
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Acknowledgements................................................................................................................. xiii
Author........................................................................................................................................xv
Prologue..................................................................................................................................xvii
1 Purpose and Mission.....................................................................................................1
1.1 The Importance of a Business Mission...................................................................... 1
1.2 Impact of a Well-Defined Mission............................................................................ 2
1.2.1 A Mission is Intrinsically Loving................................................................. 2
1.2.2 A Mission Generates Engagement and Commitment................................... 3
1.2.3 A Mission Makes People More Proactive and Creative................................. 4
1.2.4 A Mission Balances Short-Term and Long-Term.......................................... 5
1.2.5 A Mission Produces Economic and Non-Economic Rewards....................... 6
1.2.6 A Business Mission Represents a Company’s Map of the World.................. 7
1.2.7 A Business Mission Is an Overarching Goal................................................ 8
1.2.8 A Mission Is Inspirational and Meaningful.................................................. 9
1.2.9 A Mission Is Socially Caring.......................................................................10
1.3 Tips to Discover (and Rediscover) the Business Mission..........................................10
Questions for Self-Reflection..............................................................................................11
2 Relentless Passion........................................................................................................13
2.1 Passion and Business................................................................................................13
2.2 Main Aspects of Passion..........................................................................................14
2.2.1 Rational Aspect...........................................................................................14
2.2.2 Emotional Aspect........................................................................................16
2.2.3 Pragmatic Aspect........................................................................................17
Questions for Self-Reflection..............................................................................................19
3 Prosperity Mindset......................................................................................................21
3.1 Business Mindset.....................................................................................................21
3.1.1 General Aspects of Mindset........................................................................21
3.1.2 Mindset and Business Activities................................................................. 22
3.2 Scarcity Mindset..................................................................................................... 24
3.2.1 The Looming Threat of Scarcity and Competition..................................... 24
3.2.2 Competition and Scarcity of Resources in the Business World...................25
3.2.3 Fear, Competition, and Scarcity of Resources.............................................25
3.2.4 Other Characteristics of a Scarcity Mindset............................................... 27
v
vi ◾ Contents
12.3.9 Openness................................................................................................199
12.3.10 Specific Approach.................................................................................. 200
12.3.11 Segmentation and Uniqueness................................................................201
12.3.12 Emotional Enhancement........................................................................201
12.3.13 Warm Appreciation............................................................................... 203
12.3.14 Welcoming Feedback............................................................................. 204
12.3.15 Story-Telling.......................................................................................... 205
Questions for Self-Reflection........................................................................................... 206
13 Adopting a Loving Attitude toward Other Stakeholders..........................................207
13.1 Suppliers and Intermediaries................................................................................. 207
13.1.1 Continuous Communication................................................................... 207
13.1.2 Unselfishness............................................................................................ 208
13.1.3 Respecting Commitments........................................................................ 209
13.1.4 Soft Conflict-Solving................................................................................210
13.1.5 Co-Operative Attitude..............................................................................211
13.2 Competitors...........................................................................................................212
13.2.1 Love and Competitors...............................................................................212
13.2.2 A More Positive Approach Regarding Other Companies..........................213
13.3 Communities.........................................................................................................214
13.3.1 Relevance of Communities.......................................................................214
13.3.2 Community-Oriented Activities...............................................................215
13.3.3 Other Aspects Related to Communities....................................................217
Questions for Self-Reflection............................................................................................218
14 Love and Creativity...................................................................................................219
14.1 Meaning of Creativity...........................................................................................219
14.2 How Creativity Works.......................................................................................... 220
14.3 Characteristics of People Who Create....................................................................221
14.4 Business Objectives and Creativity....................................................................... 223
14.5 Main Hindrances to Creativity............................................................................. 225
14.6 Traditional Creative Tools.................................................................................... 229
14.6.1 Mind-Mapping........................................................................................ 230
14.6.2 Drawing....................................................................................................231
14.6.3 New Viewpoints.......................................................................................231
14.6.4 What If Method.......................................................................................231
14.6.5 Benchmarking and Analogies.................................................................. 232
14.6.6 Brainstorming.......................................................................................... 232
14.6.7 Disney Strategy.........................................................................................233
14.6.8 SCAMPER...............................................................................................233
14.6.9 Use of External Words............................................................................. 234
14.6.10 Framing................................................................................................... 234
14.7 Additional Comments on Creativity..................................................................... 234
Questions for Self-Reflection............................................................................................235
15 Additional Aspects of Love and Creativity................................................................237
15.1 Creating is Also Asking New Questions............................................................... 237
15.1.1 Importance of Questions......................................................................... 237
Contents ◾ xi
This book is dedicated to the memory of my mother, who was the person who first introduced me
to the principles which have deeply influenced this book. This text is also dedicated to the memory
of my uncle Hugo Francesconi, for his continuous support and faith in me.
I am also deeply grateful to:
◾◾ Fayola Saunders, a very sweet and special person in my life who showed great enthusiasm in
reviewing the manuscript
◾◾ My father, my sister, my nieces, and my godson
◾◾ My friends
◾◾ My clients
◾◾ The educational institutions I have taught at over my career
◾◾ The people working for the publisher for their significant support during the publishing
process
xiii
Author
xv
Prologue
A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time
and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated
from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind
of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few per-
sons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening
our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in
its beauty.
Albert Einstein
a) Zero-Sum Game
All businesses are inserted into a competitive environment, where all participants, with no excep-
tion, try to outpace one another. In this “game” each “player” seeks to win at the expense of the
others. Mutually beneficial agreements for all parties involved and co-operative bonds between
organisations tend to be uncommon, or the exception to this rule.
xvii
xviii ◾ Prologue
b) Competitors as Threats
Other companies are usually perceived as threatening adversaries, which must be outsmarted
whenever possible. Companies tend to focus on the external (e.g., allocating resources to beat
competitors), rather than on the internal (for example, developing their own distinct capabilities
to stand out in the market). Other organisations can never be perceived as valuable sources of
inspiration and feedback, but as threats.
c) Imperative Innovation
Organisations run an endless race to improve their products, services, and processes. Their constant
innovation stems from market trends (social, economic, technological, etc.), customers’ needs, and
the companies’ capabilities. Most companies perceive customers as overly demanding and fuelled
by a continuous search for the latest novelties (better design, improved performance, etc.). In this
frantic race, companies that dare to take a rest risk being tossed out of the market by more innova-
tive competitors.
d) Limited Resources
Another relevant tenet in the business world asserts that all companies count on limited resources,
which restrains what they do, as well as how and when. Consequently, companies tend to effi-
ciently co-ordinate and utilise their scarce resources, through strategies and other tools. New
resources are generally perceived as difficult to generate, because they take extensive time and
effort.
e) Difficult Customers
There is a widespread assumption that finding new customers and retaining current ones is always
difficult. Gaining customers’ loyalty tends to be a troublesome issue, because they are perceived as
fickle. Customer behaviour is deemed to be difficult to predict. Consequently, many companies
perform manipulative activities to seduce customers and prospects by, for instance, using mislead-
ing information in adverts, making exaggerated promises regarding products and services, and
carefully hiding products’ weaknesses, among others.
h) Commoditised People
Figuratively speaking, some companies treat employees as cogs of the organisational machine
which can be replaced easily by others. Employees are considered as a “means” to achieve organ-
isational objectives, instead of human beings with needs, emotions, and dreams which must be
acknowledged and valued. Employees tend to be entangled in a web of rules, regulations, and pro-
cedures which leave them no leeway for taking initiative or being creative. Oftentimes, employees
are heartlessly pushed by companies to the limits in order to achieve the goals of the latter. This
continuous pressure pushes employees towards stress or burnout.
i) Widespread Conflicts
All organisations are affected by internal and external conflicts. Often, conflicts tend to be solved
in an adversarial manner where one party wins at the expense of the other. These win–lose solu-
tions also affect the relationships between the participants in a negative manner. Many companies
are more interested in obtaining all the gains from conflictive situations with others than in pre-
serving the relationships with them.
It is not the purpose of this text to deliver law-like generalisations. Nonetheless the paradigms
exposed in this book can certainly be applied to any type of organisational environment and cul-
tural background, for example:
This book delivers a heart-warming and hopeful message to organisations. These down-to-
earth ideas will help them become more valuable, genuine, and meaningful. The advice provided
in this book is timeless.
This text does not provide intricate strategic perspectives, but people-centred principles. Even
though some guidelines enclosed in this book are often based on common sense and others coun-
terintuitive, all of them are backed by profuse scientific research and professional experiences.
Some of the relevant points explored throughout the book are:
It is suggested that readers gradually test and implement the guidelines conveyed in this book,
both in the business environment and the workplace. When these principles are put into practice,
positive ripple effects are bound to affect other stakeholders. The users of this knowledge and those
affected by them will undergo a profound internal transformation, which will change the way they
perceive business situations.
This book provides guidelines to contribute to more loving work and business environments.
This text also shows the obstacles on the way to achieving that objective. There are organisations
that will need to change their well-ingrained attitudes and practices to implement the beneficial
perspectives suggested in this book.
Chapter 1
Only when we truly love our work will we put in the time, and take the care, to do it
to the best of our ability.
Mark McGuinness
1
2 ◾ The Art of Compassionate Business
internal stakeholders (for example, employees) and external ones (for example, customers). When
an organisation follows its purpose, it attempts to answer the following questions:
A well-defined business mission will also try to answer some less obvious questions, on an
individual level, such as:
All organisations can become valuable instruments or catalysts through which people can
introduce positive change into the world. The organisation’s mission can also be defined as:
In the following points, some characteristics of a meaningful mission will be explained. Some
tips to discover or rediscover a business mission will also be enumerated.
Many companies wrongly define their business mission by considering their products or services,
or their specific business activities, instead of focusing on how they are of assistance to others. A
company’s contribution to others should always be at the centre of all business activities. To put
it simply, a well-defined mission is focused on serving others in the best manner. Edelman (1993)
observed that “Service is the rent each of us pays for living.”
A mission-driven company serves others in a unique manner because each organisation has its
own set of distinct talents and capabilities. A well-designed purpose is expansive; it brings more
good to the world. An authentic mission is always based on lofty values, such as integrity, trans-
parency, fairness, and honesty, among others. The company mission should be aligned with these
moral “lighthouses” in order to be authentically meaningful and widely impactful.
An organisation which pursues its mission shows its best side. Figuratively speaking, a mission-
centred organisation becomes a wellspring of love; its activities spread love within the company
and outside it. A purpose-driven company is prone to recognise the interconnectedness and inter-
dependence with all significant stakeholders in the business environment. This is congruent with
both principles of quantum physics and ancient spiritual traditions, which state that everything in
the universe is interconnected.
A mission resembles a solid platform from which fruitful relationships with the organisation’s
stakeholders can develop. The purpose is like a bridge which links a company’s internal stakehold-
ers (management, employees) and its external ones (customers, suppliers, community). A clear
mission always has a positive intention, which is to help people feel better (more joy, peace, love,
etc.) or to reduce their negative states (such as anger, sadness, despair, etc.).
A clearly defined purpose is selfless because it helps an organisation generate positive change
both internally and externally. A mission is heart-driven because a company’s actions to pursue it
tend to be driven by its employees’ hearts. When a company follows its mission, all its strategies
(marketing, production, financial, etc.) tend to be aligned with this purpose, which in turn causes
a company’s activities to be congruent with these strategies.
◾◾ The company is open to employees’ ideas to attain its mission more effectively.
◾◾ The company has an attitude of service, which prompts employees to behave in an obliging
manner.
◾◾ The organisation enables employees to fully use their distinct talents to pursue its mission.
◾◾ The organisation makes employees feel that products and services supplied to customers are
of real worth.
◾◾ The company sets quality standards related to its purpose, to which employees adhere.
◾◾ The company activities create a positive impact not only on customers, but also on its other
stakeholders, such as suppliers, intermediaries, partners, and the community as a whole.
◾◾ The company allows employees to participate in the (re)definition of its purpose.
When employees’ contributions are regularly acknowledged with thanks, they are more prone
to go the extra mile to support the company’s mission. Bridges (2017) observed that “people will
follow you if they see you are not just about the money but also about meaning.” In some organ-
isations, not only are employees committed to the company’s purpose, but they are also proud to
work for that organisation.
When the company’s mission is relevant to its employees, they tend to feel an unbounded
amount of energy and passion to make it come true. When they perform their work tasks, they
feel they are not wasting their time but contributing to change the world on a small or large scale.
These employees are also more resilient when the company goes through challenging times.
Some employees can also feel honoured because their activities at work contribute to leaving
a legacy in the world, something bigger than them. Sometimes, a company’s mission is totally
aligned with the personal objectives of its staff members, which makes their commitment seem
effortless and spontaneous. In those cases, they feel compelled to take continuous action toward
this purpose.
Besides employees, a meaningful company’s mission also prompts other individuals and
organisations to contribute to this purpose. When a company’s mission is pursued wholeheartedly,
people and companies around tend to be naturally drawn to this purpose, creating a strong emo-
tional connection with them. Stakeholders that relate to a mission-oriented company feel com-
fortable and willing to support it. In those cases, the company should continually remind these
stakeholders of the positive outcomes that stem from achieving its mission. An interesting ques-
tion a company should regularly pose is “Does our purpose connect us with people more deeply?”
Fritz (1984) stated that there are two types of perspectives a company can adopt: a problem-
solving approach, when it tries to eliminate its difficulties, and a creative perspective, when it
focuses on creating something new. This author observed that the creative approach is superior to
the problem-solving approach.
As a consequence, when a company defines its mission, it should always use the creative
approach, not the problem-solving one. When a company’s mission is defined as something new
to create, people are more prone to adopt a proactive attitude toward it. A relevant question an
organisation should pose to define its mission is “What do we want to create?”
All activities performed by the company should be congruent with the achievement of its pur-
pose. Companies should always prioritise those tasks and projects which contribute to its mission.
The mission constitutes the guiding light against which all company activities are judged and
assessed, either as relevant tasks or irrelevant ones. A company which performs activities contrib-
uting to its purpose nurtures it, in the same way as the mother who loves her child. An organisa-
tion can keep its mission alive by devoting its time and energy to it.
On one side, companies without a clear mission cannot see themselves creating a positive
change in the world. They have a narrow view of their activities, which is constrained by well-
ingrained limiting assumptions such as “The most important thing is to survive, not to contribute
to others,” “It is not possible to follow our purpose and obtain profits,” “We will never be able to
create any significant impact on the world,” and similar ones. On the other side, mission-oriented
companies know it is worth pursuing a meaningful purpose to create a positive effect on the wider
community. These companies are willing to play their relevant part in transforming the world.
A mission is also related to the short-term. When employees are fully engaged in activities
which contribute to a company’s mission, they are naturally rooted in the now and are fully pres-
ent. These employees harness their unique capabilities fully, and their actions tend to be more
effortless and flowing. They are less prone to be diverted by worries and fears (which are related
to the future) or regrets and guilt (which are linked to the past). According to Csikszentmihalyi
(2003), when employees pursue a company’s mission, they tend to enter a state of flow – also called
“the zone” – and are more prone to focus on the present, namely on the task at hand.
A mission-driven company understands that its activities never occur in a vacuum because the
organisation is inserted in a community affected directly or indirectly by the company’s activities.
A company which pursues its mission has a very tangible impact on its external environment, for
example:
◾◾ Generation of economic benefits for all partners involved related to the company (suppliers,
intermediaries, etc.)
◾◾ Development of discoveries through the company’s research and product development pro-
cess, which benefit the marketplace and humankind as a whole
◾◾ Protection of environmental resources (land, air, etc.) as a result of green activities (recy-
cling, use of renewable energies, etc.) performed by the company
◾◾ Increase in taxes collected by government from the company, which can be used for social
purposes (education, infrastructure, etc.)
◾◾ Generation of employment, which gives rise to a decent living for the members of a
community
◾◾ Support to communities through the company’s social initiatives (sponsoring, donations, etc.)
◾◾ Increase in customers’ satisfaction through the company’s offering of high-quality products
and services
De Botton (2016a) observed that companies can also bring about a positive impact on custom-
ers by creating “good demand,” which is “consumer’s choice that is in line with fruitful needs” and
contributes to improving their life from the long-term perspective. Some companies’ purpose is
focused on supplying products and services which positively contribute to their customers’ devel-
opment. Some examples are companies which sell products and services like healthcare services
(which contribute to customers’ better health conditions) and educational courses (which enhance
customers’ skills), among others.
Therefore, companies should avoid pursuing a mission related to goods and services which cre-
ates “bad demand” in customers, such as junk food and weapons, which have demonstrated their
detrimental effects on a society. The mission pursued by a company should always aim to make peo-
ple’s lives better, from the short-term perspective (instant gratification), but also from the long-term
viewpoint (better health, thriving careers, increased knowledge, outstanding relationships, etc.).
To sum up, a well-defined mission has a significant transformative power, because it chal-
lenges the status quo and produces a positive change in the world. When a company defines its
own mission, it recognises that the relevant needs of customers and other stakeholders (employees,
communities, etc.) can be satisfied more effectively. A company’s mission is always bigger than the
organisation itself and goes beyond the company’s self-interest, in order to positively trickle down
into wider society.
“confirmation bias,” implies that people tend to focus on specific stimuli from the environment
consistent with their beliefs, dismissing the rest.
The world is intrinsically complex and dynamic. According to the discipline called neuro-
linguistic programming (NLP), every person has a distinctive map of the world which helps them
go through it in a unique manner. These maps are simplified representations of reality. From this
perspective, a mission is a shared map which guides the company’s people in the performance of
their business activities on a continuous basis.
From the psychological perspective, people use personal stories which help them as guidelines
for their lives. These manufactured personal tales can be related to the person itself, other people,
and the world in general. These narratives are not necessarily truthful, but credible and meaning-
ful to the creator. People make sense of circumstances in a narrative manner, through their stories.
In a similar vein, Zander and Zander (2002) observed the stories that people hold in their minds
help them represent and interpret the world around them. Moreover, these stories limit the way
they “see” reality.
A company’s mission has shared stories embedded in it, especially the ones related to the ques-
tions “Why are we in the marketplace?” and “What is our relevant contribution to others?” These
stories are continuous reminders which help a company pursue its mission in a more effective
manner. These stories gather the company’s people around the purpose and make them feel more
optimistic about achieving this purpose.
A well-designed mission is always story-based, which is emotionally compelling. When a
mission has an enticing narrative, it lulls people into pursuing it. Some story-telling aspects are
implicit in the verbal definition of the mission. Other aspects are fully expressed when the mis-
sion is conveyed to others. Very significant narrative aspects related to the mission unfold when
the company takes specific actions to pursue it. A mission tends to be pursued more effectively
if its narrative is congruent with the personal stories of the people (for example, employees, etc.)
contributing to it.
Title: Syvyydestä
Sanoja murheellisille
Language: Finnish
Sanoja murheellisille
Kirj.
CHARLES KINGSLEY
P. Brofeldt
F.E.K.
SISÄLLYS:
National Sermons.
National Sermons.
Elkäämme vanhaan totuttuun tapaan nimittäkö epäuskoa
tyytyväisyydeksi; elkäämme asettako lausetta »tapahtukoon Sinun
tahtosi» rukoustemme loppuun, siksi ett'emme usko rukouksen
kuulemista. Vaan antakaamme Jumalan tahdon olla myös meidän
tahtomme ja sitte sanokaamme: »Tapahtukoon Sinun tahtosi!» On
olemassa väärää yhtä hyvin kuin totista ja pyhää tyytyväisyyttä. Kun
murhe on tullut tai on tulossa tai nähtävästi on välttämätön toisten
parhaaksi, sanokaamme silloin Mestarimme kanssa Hänen
kuolintaistelussaan: »Ei niinkuin me tahdomme, vaan niinkuin Sinä!»
Mutta rukoilkaamme rohkeasti, kunnes olemme saavuttaneet sen
asteen.
National Sermons.
National Sermons.
Jumala tarkoittaa sillä sinun hyvääsi, kun Hän lyöpi sinut alas, —
ehkä Hän tahtoo antaa sinulle siunausta, vaikk'et ole sitä
rukoillutkaan, näyttääkseen kuinka vähän sairaloinen tunteellisuus
tai itseään kiusaava taistelu auttaa. Viisastelevat luonteet ovat
taipuvaiset kiusaamaan itseään sillä tavoin. Semmoisena
aikakautena elämästäsi on hyvä tulla uudelleen lapseksi. Tällä en
minä tarkoita toistamiseen uudestasyntymistä, vaan mielen muutosta
hiljaiseen ihmettelyyn ja lapselliseen luottamukseen, joka sallii
kaikkien luontaisten kykyjen, kaikkien Jumalan antamain
armolahjain, jotka myrsky on murtanut ja alas taivuttanut, uudestaan
lempeästi kukoistaa kimmeltävässä valossa sateen jälkeen —
elämän tämmöisenä ajanjaksona saamme vähän huo'ahtaa, emme
tarvitse kovin paljon silmäillä taaksepäin tai tutkia itseämme, on
parempi kätkeä se semmoiseen aikaan, jolloin mieli on terve ja
voimallinen, — vaan nyt kylvemme hiljaisesti Jumalan läsnäolon
valossa — tämä on enempi uskon aikakausi kuin työn, alituisen
rukouksen aika huolimatta niin paljon selvistä lauseista kuin
erityisestä, innokkaasta rukouksesta.
National Sermons.
Essaya
Minä luulen että viisain tapa kantaa surua ei ole se, että koettaa
kantaa sitä — niinkauvan kuin ihmistä ei sen kautta estetä
jokapäivästen velvollisuuksien täyttämisestä — vaan että antautuu
surun valtaan kokonaan ja vapaasti. Kenties on suru lähetetty
ottamaan haltuunsa meidät ja jos me tyhjennämme maljan pohjaan
asti, löydämme sieltä kenties jonkin parannusaineen, jota emme
löytäsi, jos rupeisimme parantelemaan itseämme tai antasimme
toisten sitä tehdä. Jos me aivan yksinkertaisesti sanomme: »minä
olen viheliäinen, minun tulee olla viheliäinen», silloin saamme ehkä
kuulla äänen sanovan: »kuka muu teki sinut viheliäiseksi kuin
Jumala? mitä muuta Hän sillä tarkoittaa kuin sinun parastasi?» Ja
jos sinun sydämesi vastaa kärsimättömästi: »minunko parastani? en
minä sitä halua, vaan minä haluan sitä, jota rakastan», niin vastaa
ehkä ääni sisältä: »sinä saat molempia aikanaan».
Niin, elkää pelätkö uskoa että hän, jota Te olette rakastaneet, vielä
on Teitä lähellä ja Te häntä lähellä, ja te molemmat Jumalaa lähellä,
joka kuoli ristillä teidän tähtenne. Tämän enempää en minä voi
sanoa. Mutta siinä on lohdutus, jos todella voipi saada sydämensä
uskomaan sitä.