Being the Buddha Boss
Embracing Spiritual Capitalism
You know why I like Star Wars IV? Because good overcomes evil; courage is rewarded; and when you help someone one, you end up helping yourself.
Luke Skywalker and Buddha are a great deal alike. Both of them woke up to a new way of thinking and living. Neither one of them wanted to form a religion, but both had a huge influence. Both ended up adopting a spiritual lifestyle.
Brace yourself. Maybe its time we consider adopting this same spiritual lifestyle attitude in business. It is apparent that the economic crisis that began in October 2008 really turned out to be a spiritual one. Our system is not flawed and corporations are not bad, rather the individuals who work within the system often times are. We have allowed Darth Vader to run our organizations and it is time to invite Buddha into the board room.
I know business and spirituality appear to be galaxies apart but like Buddha and Luke, they are a great deal alike. Spirituality points us to the meaning of life; business is about making money. But if you put them together spiritual capitalism-a growing and much needed development- can take an integrative approach by making the connection between your business, work and you.
The world of business is being transformed by companies who are embracing this new paradigm shift. To these new mavericks, taking care of business means taking care of others. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because spiritual capitalism is a smart business move. Employees and managers who embrace spiritual values like respect and forgiveness are happier-and therefore more productive.
Increasingly, consumers are using their purchasing power to reshape companies. The popularity of the green movement, organic produce and the growth of the socially responsible investment sector, a two trillion business according to the Social Investment Forum are testament to the fact the perceived conflict between "doing good" and "making money" is on its way out and companies that encompass spiritual capitalism are in.
In the early 1980's the American capitalistic system was a perfect fit for me and my Christian upbringing. The religious ledger system of right and wrong and fit with the check and balances of the business world. After majoring in finance, I started my career in the multi-billion dollar industry of advertising. I was hired as an account executive in the growing advertising agency Sanders Wingo. After ten years, I became a partner and in the ten years that followed the agency was one of the first to recognize the changing realities of the multi-cultural consumer. We became leading experts in brand development for the Hispanic and Urban markets. The harder I worked on developing effective methods to seek out and find these specific consumers, the more I realized I needed to take a sabbatical to explore the world in hopes of finding myself.
After four years of trekking, hiking, and visiting most of the acupuncture points on the globe I came home and knew that as my belief system expanded so did my view of capitalism. I also woke up to the reality that I was living the capitalistic principle of, "the acquisition of material goods and the accumulation of wealth should be limitless." My husband and I had five houses, two cars, one bass boat and huge gas guzzling SUV. We were a microcosm living on Main Street of the activities on Wall Street. Although Buddha was not opposed to wealth, his concern was how wealth was acquired and if the person became attached to money and or attached to what money could buy. Clearly, I had some attachment issues.
Many of the companies I interviewed, through a strong sense of accountability offer employees paid time off to serve their communities. These programs build strong teams and galvanize the company's greatest resources-the employee-as a unified force for change.
Some offered service sabbaticals, which give the employees the opportunity to think big and create and even greater change at a non-profit organization of their choice. In some cases the length of service can be up to six months. Many companies gave two weeks off to any employee who wanted to provide immediate assistance to those affected by the devastation from Hurricane Katrina.
Being the Buddha Boss captures eight American companies who are all offering a new way of conducting business by providing a practical guide to values-based leadership working in the traditional free enterprise system. They all reflect what the Buddha encouraged-the liberation of suffering through an eight step path that can lead us individually and our companies away from greed and into our own awakening.
Twenty-five hundred years ago, the Buddha defined mission statements for corporate America and each of the companies featured have embraced the Buddha's philosophy that:
- Generosity is not optional.
- Everyone is responsible for themselves.
- We have a spiritual obligation to respond compassionately to those in need.
I invite you to be the Buddha boss at your business or organization and to open your mind to a different, but much needed way on how society can be structured and organizations can be led. By refocusing our intentions, capitalism can evolve into a system that incorporates human values without losing the benefits of free-market economy.
