Society is breaking under the weight of a distorted capitalism. Governance has become troublesome, as it appears as a problem, when in fact it is the solution. Organisations are just a collection of human beings and the quicker we realise the potential this offers, the more money we can make and the better society can become.
How to make more money, surround yourself with people you love and make the world a better place.
All the wealth in the world is created by business.
All the money in the world (ALL OF IT!) is generated by business. So, it’s a good idea for businesses to make as much of it as possible. More money equals more taxes paid and this (should) lead to more and better services available to society via government.
Societal equanimity if you like and essentially good governance.
Businesses are humans.
Business is a collective noun for humans. All businesses are simply groups of people trying to achieve something, and all people are humans, and humans are that special group of mammals we care for the most.
Put these two statements together and you arrive at an obvious question; can you devise a model where the business is able to make as much money as possible (this isn't about putting up your fees! It's about running an efficient business), and at the same time care for the humans within it?
We think you can…with Monergy, a combination of money and energy. In fact, we believe you can go further and that business can and should create more money, be filled with amazing people who believe in the same things you believe and make the world a better place. If this is something that interests you, read on dear reader!
Life is Complicated, stupid!
On the one hand life is extremely complicated and getting seemingly worse each passing software update. This makes sense. As we evolve and grow we’re able to absorb and comprehend more and more complexity. Running is more complex than walking and both are more complicated than lying on your back wondering what the hell is going on. That, of course, describes the increasing complexity of our early lives. And that complexity carries on from there and each year through school, university and work seems to carry with it ever deeper and more nuanced complication than ever.
The trouble with all this complexity is that it is complicated. Complicated stuff is hard to understand, so keep life as simple as possible. Keep thinking at a high level and don’t get bogged down in the detail...the detail can always be worked out by accountants, or even worse lawyers! Models are a great way of doing this.
The Basic Business Model
This is a very simple business model used the world over, and it’s all wrong! (MIllions of businesses the world over have set up their organisation like this).
Starting on the left all businesses try to make money. To make money they must have something to sell (a product or service). To let people know they have something to sell they tell people (marketing).
Firstly, money shouldn’t be your main focus…there has to be a more meaningful purpose as to why you’re getting out of bed each morning. Unless, making money really is your main purpose in life. Which if you think about it, it isn’t. No one wants a big pile of money, they want what the money can be converted into.
Secondly, think about your friends. Why are you friends with youthem? It’s not because of what they can offer you…is it? Of course not. It’s because you have shared values, principles, desires and passions. These are people you want to spend time with because it just feels right, because their outlook on life is like yours. Businesses are no different to humans, because they are humans.
The Monergy Flow
Flip the model on its head. Instead of starting on the left, start on the right. Get a group of people who believe in the same thing and think about serving the world (a purpose) in the same way and you have yourself a brand. A brand is the personality, culture, ethos and vision of the business. Now, rather than telling people what you have to sell you’re able to say “Hello, here I am”. And other humans are able to see who you are and if they like the sound of you, then you’ve made a connection. Connections are very powerful. Then you’ll be able to sell more and make more money.
And it all starts with a vision for a better future, a better society...
Humans are Humans
Businesses are humans, and humans are emotional beings. I know we all think we’re clever, logical, rational and sensible but we are not. Study after study has shown that most of our decisions are driven by our emotions. We then very clevely back them up with rational reasons that fit our emotional desires.
This becomes highly important if we’re aware of the current state of the world with 1 in 4 of us suffering from a mental illness (most commonly depression or anxiety) at any one time. If you’re not feeling safe, connected and supported then you’re much more likely to feel depressed and/or anxious. And if you’re feeling depressed or anxious you simply cannot make rational decisions.
As humans are running businesses for the betterment of other humans it is a global imperative that we do all we can to provide a safe, connected, purposeful world for as many humans as possible.
Capitalism is a force for good
Once you've made more money than you require to run your business and pay your staff, what is the right thing to do with your profits? You could buy a new car or go on a nice holiday, or you could give money to charity.
Better than all of these ideas is to reinvest your profits back into your business (the very tenets of capitalism before it got perverted by greed). If you nurture, provide meaningful connections and love your humans you'll have better humans, which will enhance the chain of events which leads to more money, which leads to more profits to reinvest in your business and therefore, society...
Nurtured Humans are Happy Humans
A better functioning and more profitable business isn't the only outcome of this model. Nurtured humans feel like they belong to the group, and are part of the vision and future of the organisation. They ultimately feel happier. It's a rare privilege to work with people who share your vision of the world and become people you admire, respect and love.
Happy Humans go Home
Happy humans are not only more fun to be around at work, they go home at the end of the day and are more fun around their families too. Go home stressed and tired and you're much more likely to carry that negativity over to your family. Go home happy, positive and feeling loved and you’ll be carrying those powerful vibes right into the heart of your family, affecting how they feel and ultimately behave.
Happy Communities
Happier families lead to happier neighbours, happier streets, happier schools and ultimately happier communities.
Collective Responsibility
Happier communities and mental well-being is not someone else's responsibility. It is all too easy to point a finger at governments or schools and suggest that they need to do something to fix these social issues. And yes, they have their part to play, but so do we. As humans we must refuse to absolve ourselves of the part we play in building the society in which we live and the legacy we leave behind. We call it responsibility, but really it's our privilege.
Carry the baton
We’re part of a relay team. Can we leave our world in a better place for the next generation to carry forward once we've gone? We want to contribute more fully in the whole grand human drama. More than simply being, we want to help ourselves and others live more fully.
If you believe what we believe, then we’d love to get connected.
Acknowledgements
This blog was written by and with the huge insight of one of our contributors. Thank you, John Hibbs. John on the Advisory Board and is a supporter of the work of Perrin Carey Limited. He believes, as we do, that good governance is good business and by working hard to do this, we can improve societal equanimity.
If you would like to contribute to moving governance forwards towards a more ethical and human centric framework, please contact Perrin.