Putting the soul back to national and organizational economics

Gary Hamel wrote a great article about the lack of purpose and values in the corporate world at the Management Innovation Exchange. 

This post reminded me of a comment, I think by Drucker, that money is like oxygen for corporations.  You cannot live without it but noone lives just to breathe.

I think the industrial age became the dominant metaphor in our ways of thinking, especially in the business world and the business world became focused on metrics, processes to the degree of neglecting personel and intra-personal qualities, which are in a sence harder to develop because they are more of an art rather than a science.

Anthony Robbins talks about the science of achievement and art of fulfillment.  I think our organizations focus on the science but miss the art but try to make up for it by pushing on the science gas pedal.

I think the same phenomenon happens on the national scale.  We look at GDP growth as the main success indicator for countries.  However, we live in a world with limited resources and we cannot target and sustain maximum GDP growth.  I am really happy to see experiments with new national welface indecis that take into account other factors and I think the same is and need to happen more at organizational levels.

I think more people feel this way and agree with these statements; however, the status qua still prevails.  Why? Because most of us have bought into these mental models and have a hard time imagining otherwise – what’s needed, successful role models, stories, prototypes and I think the MIX is a great platform for this.

I think we will not be able to (and should not) try to replicate the developed world middle-upper class consumerist life style for the world.  I doubt 6+ billion people can find full employment and turn into full consumers.  We will need to revert to less work, more leisure, more self and group auto-entertainment, is my projection.  I welcome more of such at corporates as well.