Oh, OK, shameless plug: I love the Citizens League. I take so many great cues for business by listening to its civic discourse over policy (usually served up with a fresh pint of beer). As I listen to the discussions, I begin to think they’re being too civic, and I mentally formulate a faster, more decisive (and often unilateral) way to help further their nonpartisan agenda. I realize that’s counter to the entire point of finding common ground, but hey, works for me!
And I’m fascinated by Nate Garvis, who presented last week at the CL annual meeting. “Naked Civics” was a follow up to his 2007 “Outrage Industry.” His premise today: No one does well in a bad community, so working toward the common good is not just smart—it’s wise.
There were a slew of good nuggets during his presentation:
• There are social implications of consumption; think better designs for how we consume.
• The best leaders are those who listening closely to those they lead.
• Lulan is an example of a startup doing well in business by doing good.
But I couldn’t help it. My brain tried to reconcile his points with typical corporate leadership—and I got nowhere. So I started tweeting out questions and statements of my own:
• Table manners are conversational regulation? Oh, I can think of a few of those in biz.
• Networks are taking over hierarchies; how should one with a career built on hierarchal progress cope? What does biz think?
• I’m thinking we need a Sesame Street curriculum in the workplace.
• How do we help the bean counters to care like this? We can’t.
I believe in the notion of common ground, of better design for business and communities, for improved consumption patterns that save money and resources over time. I’m enamored by the entrepreneurs who not only profit by helping to bolster those in need, but look so cool while doing it.
And I am convinced that the organizations with the greatest power to drive common good—i.e., corporations—will never be able to make that kind of impact.
Not without a little outrage and uprising on the inside, that is.
No, I’m not suggesting unions—that’s a tired bunch of B.S. Rather, we have to cycle out the old biz thinkers to get to common good. I still think we let the wrong people go this past year.
So how do we help the bean counters care like this? I don’t think they can. Do you?
“We focus on tools. We need to focus on elements. Common good is designed well.” —@NakedCivics on Twitter
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