Others’ Greed, Humanity, and Social Responsibility: The Making of Meaningful Profit
(375 words) How does others' greed interact with social responsibility? Greed is part of being human, as I was recently reminded. Getting out the door in the morning takes my family forever. So, I lay out the clothes for my two younger sons and said,...
Is your organization evil-free? Patagonia’s socially responsible brand
(398 words) What does an evil-free organization look like? Think back. What did your son or daughter look like as a baby? I look at the pictures of my children as babies and sigh. Pure innocence. It is that baby smell and smile that inspires parents to pay the steep...
The World is Changing Too Slowly: Social Responsibility, Speed, and Impact
Is the world changing as rapidly as we think? I watched a video of artificial intelligence (GANs) translating waterfall doodles into complex landscapes with my son. I sighed, “Technology is changing the world so fast!” But then I thought about a similar...
Social Responsible Work, Energy, and Confidence
Why should you care about corporate social responsibility (CSR)? A friend described the connection with her 100-year-old grandmother who passed away last week: “Every year, she wrote me a letter about Wisconsin’s first robin of spring.” I sobbed when I read...
Three kings desire social responsibility
Where’s the heart in corporate social responsibility (CSR)? The day of my wedding, I tied my tie and re-combed my hair for the fifteenth time. “We’re headed to Mrs. Robino’s for dinner tonight!” my lovely queen informed the family. “No! I want Chinese!” First my...
Where’s the Heart of Corporate Social Responsibility?
Where’s the heart in corporate social responsibility (CSR)? The day of my wedding, I tied my tie and re-combed my hair for the fifteenth time. My son, then five, called, “Dad! They’re waiting! Let’s go!” My son ensured my wedding satisfied its reason for existence....
Healthcare, Humanity, and Technology
(389 words) How do we leverage amazing technology while making the healthcare system more human? My niece, Mei Mei, is two years old but fits into the clothes of a one-year-old. A simple cut to Mei Mei’s toe bleeds for days, and her mom prays for a positive...
Poetry, Pragmatism, and Makin’ Money by Doing Good
(363 words) How can we ensure our efforts to do good create value for others-- and for ourselves? My son comes home after volunteering at a soup kitchen. “So, how’d it go?” I ask. “Good,” he answers. Nothing more. My son’s 12, can you tell? Without context, all I...
Social Responsibility, Meaning, and Sales
Is (sincere) social responsibility a powerful sales tool? My son comes into my office during a conference call. “Dad, can you read me a book?” “No, Reuben, I’m on a business call,” I answer. No sale. But then Reuben starts crying . . . and we’re lying down reading...