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Is American society still immature?
Maturity matters when deciding the most profitable approach, just as it matters when parenting.
I find piles of unfolded laundry hidden by my 13-year old, Devin. Looking around, I see Devin’s braces glint as he scours a book in the corner.
I laugh so hard I end up with hiccups. I expect more from Devin– and hiding piles of laundry is so far from what I expect that it’s funny.
Devin’s too old to scold, but he’s now sophisticated enough to recognize laughter as a rebuke.
In other areas, Devin’s growth directly impacts my parenting. For example, he needs me to buy him bigger clothes every year. But my laughter is only indirectly connected: Devin’s growth leads to the experience that leads to his sophistication that requires I change my approach.
It’s difficult to find the best approach to parenting. I’m tempted to react like I did when Devin was younger but know that would fail.
Think about Devin as you develop your strategy for corporate social responsibility. The social problems that surround us are like the piles of laundry hidden by an increasingly mature teen. As we apply digital technology, society’s complexity increases. Like new parenting approaches, we need new tools to deliver the most constructive outcomes.
Your leadership may require new insights into community needs, like Health of the Nation’s neighborhood-focused approach to battling opioid addiction. Or a new structure to collaborate, such as the World Cocoa Foundation in which over a hundred companies join to strengthen society in cocoa growing regions. And, to maximize the value for shareholders as well as society, you must integrate what are traditionally considered socially responsible actions with business efforts.
As society becomes increasingly complex and the problems we face more fundamental and severe, deliver a higher level of leadership. Like laughter at a teen, find new ways to be devastatingly powerful yet also clear and targeted.
What is the most creative way you parented your son or daughter? How can you reach all the stakeholders necessary to solve the complex social problems you face?
Please share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.