![\"FirmsOfEndearment01\"](\"https:\/\/sidewaysthoughts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/FirmsOfEndearment01-710x393.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWho\u00a0wouldn’t\u00a0want to work for, or lead, a firm of endearment? As attractive as the name sounds, the book of the same title exposes both frustration and shame that more organisations have not taken up the mantra.<\/p>\n
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Firms of Endearment<\/a><\/em>\u00a0is a 2007 management book by authors Sisodia<\/a>, Wolfe<\/a>, and Sheth<\/a>.\u00a0 Similar to Collins’ Good to Great<\/em><\/a>, Firms of Endearment<\/em> assesses performance of companies that fit defined criteria.\u00a0 Where Good to Great<\/em> highlighted a company\u2019s financial characteristics, Firms of Endearment<\/em> looks first to qualitative metrics.<\/p>\n The book points to the aging population as a cause for a movement towards meaning in organisations.\u00a0 Older generations of business leaders, begin to search for a deeper meaning from their efforts.\u00a0 This meaning is found in a holistic approach to stakeholder relationship management in five groups: Society, Partners, Investors, Customers, and Employees.<\/p>\n The book highlights 30 organisations that best meet the criteria and demonstrate the following core values, policies, and operating attributes:<\/p>\n Examples of work environment characteristics include:<\/p>\n Primary elements of the corporate vision for a Firm of Endearment include:<\/p>\n The bullet points seem an obvious checklist for business leader aspirations.\u00a0 So why are there not more organisations that can refer to themselves as Firms of Endearment?<\/p>\n I entered the management profession in my 20s with an inherent belief in managing with principles of equality, empowerment, hope, and love.\u00a0 This belief led to self-doubt through my 30s as my ideas bounced off the rational ceiling of traditional top-down management.\u00a0 These insecurities in part drove me to embark upon studies in management-focused social science to determine if I was simply an idealistic fool or if the corporate world really did have it all wrong.<\/p>\n A few months away from 40 and two modules away from a Masters of Applied Social Science (Management), I find myself getting increasingly frustrated as I read books like Firms and Endearment<\/em>.\u00a0 I am frustrated at our largely unchanging collective corporate culture that has such books collecting dust in desk drawers and executive bookshelves.\u00a0 I am frustrated at marginalised and commercialised academia that seems unable to propagate principles to the masses.<\/p>\n Most of all, I am frustrated with myself for compromises made along the way.\u00a0 My belief has always been that the end expression of our efforts is not to produce some product or service, but rather it is the development of individual people towards their full potential.\u00a0 Whether through external restrictions or internal limitations, my ability to propagate this belief in the commercial mandate feels limited.<\/p>\n My frustration is fuelled by the insanity of a situation where as a society we know there is a better way but continue down an exclusively profit-focused path.\u00a0 As Firms of Endearment<\/em> states, \u201cthe most profit-oriented companies are usually not the most profitable, whereas companies that are highly profitable are usually not primarily focused on making profit<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n In my last post<\/a>, I outlined the risk of shame when commercial leaders are exposed to meaning.\u00a0 Two responses a leader can take when feeling this shame is 1)<\/strong> defensiveness resulting in denial or exclusion, or 2)<\/strong> self-reflection and change.\u00a0 The latter option is of little help to a change agent, as negotiating the other party into a position of shame can come at irreparable cost to the relationship.<\/p>\n I am debating this point with one of my colleagues as to whether real change occurs without pain of some sort.\u00a0 My colleague states change is possible through inspiration such as being moved by personal accounts like Ghandi or Mother Teresa.\u00a0 I believe these situations to be rare, as I have observed and read about few significant change initiatives that have not been prompted by personal pain or loss of some form.<\/p>\n I question why more organisations do not follow principles outlined in books such as Firms of Endearment<\/em>.\u00a0 Based on book sales, it is not due to lack of access.\u00a0 The book outlines clear profit outcomes, so it is not because there is not a business case.\u00a0 I wish I could say leaders would step up if they were inspired on a personal account.\u00a0 Unfortunately, I suspect rather that the principles are not embraced because there is not enough pain resulting from organisations not searching out the meaning behind their actions.<\/p>\n I do not believe I am alone in my belief that organisations can stand for something more than just financial success.\u00a0 Is the solution as Ghandi says \u201cto be the change I want to see\u201d and inspire to solicit change? Or is the resolution to produce change by inflicting pain, such as the actions of Wall Street\u00a0protesters<\/a>?<\/p>\n Perhaps it is a combination of both options, making the current situation uncomfortable and inspiring towards a vision of tomorrow.\u00a0 Either way, it will take action that will make 2012 an exciting year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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What are we doing here?<\/h3>\n
Shame resulting in action<\/h3>\n