3 key ways wise leaders are leading for the common good

I hold the following beliefs (held lightly):

• Corporations rule the world.
• Many of their CEO's are addicted to greed.
• Most politicians are beholden to corporate leaders and others who donate to their parties. See a great documentary 'Big Deal' by Christiaan van Vuuren for some hard evidence about this.

Imagine what could happen if it was illegal for corporations and lobbyists etc to make donations to politicians!

While researching and writing this post I googled how many corporations are bigger than countries? The answer "Of the 100 largest economies in the world, 51 are corporations; only 49 are countries."

In a wonderful book 'Confronting Capitalism', author Philip Kotler offers 14 solutions to a better world. I drew great inspiration from this book I researched this post.

"To get people less interested in an endless pursuit of consumption, other life-styles need to be promoted: the value of relationships, the joy of nature, and the pleasure of good community need to be stressed."
Philp Kotler

3 key ways wise leaders lead for the common good

1) Corporations, and businesses in general, have the capacity to lead the way in solving our climate crisis

sub-title Governments should not be leading rather supporting those who are
(people with three - five year terms are not leaders, they are managers at best.)

I took photo above recently at one of my local supermarkets. Wise leaders are climate change action leaders. ALDI, another one of my local supermarkets, have their stores, warehouses and offices powered by 100% renewable energy.

Please read a most excellent article by Annabel Crabb "Morrison's climate 'plan' reveals a spectacular new model of political leadership in Australia.'

Climate crisis inaction and hyperbole by LNP politicians in Australia, and the money being donated by fossil fuel companies to the LNP (and Labor and other parties too) can be contrasted with exceptions like Mike Cannon-Brookes. and LNP supporter Andrew Forrest's who has a hydrogen deal happening with Queensland government in Australia. 

Corporate and business leaders have the wherewithal to lead the way in solving our climate crisis, and are in fact are leading us. In my view governments need to support those leading and stop leading themselves. 

THE ANZ CLIMATE TECH 100 list makes interesting reading.

How are you solving the climate crisis?

2) Well-being not financial growth or profit is actually the objective

In much of the world right now I perceive a crisis of mental health that could have far wider consequences than the COVID-19 pandemic.

Google is famous for their 2012 Aristotle project. Their quest was to answer the questions 'What makes teams successful?' Here are the full findings.

The following outcomes are all worth considering for your team, peer or community or sporting group.

In my work with clients I have used these as a guide with a particular focus on people doing work that is meaningful for them as well as being highly valuable for others.

Here is an interesting OECD article with links to several others about countries measuring well-being.

Is your workplace a role model in these areas?

3) Using technology to help us rather than we being slaves of technology

Yanis Varoufakis suggests in this article that capitalism is bring replaced by techno-feudalism. I agree.

There are alternatives. 

I recommend 'Another Now' by Yanis

and 'Technology v Humanity The coming clash between man and machine' by Gerd Leonhard

as places to kickstart or progress your feelings, thoughts, behaviours and actions about how you are using technology personally and professionally.

Is technology primarily enhancing the human experience in your life and work?

Who will you become?

What will you do next?

Kind regards

Ian