About Purpose is about your purpose.
Aim: Identify and articulate your purpose.
Arm: Shape yourself around your purpose.
Act: Achieve your purpose.
Programs:
About Purpose,
YOUR Purpose
Now announcing a radical new way for you to afford quality consulting services. Read this press release.
The Business Case for Eliminating Systemic Poverty 
Click for MP3 version
Bob Ryan, About Purpose, Inc. ©2010
TransformOurWorld.org is a site dedicating itself to city and nation transformation. Admittedly Christian in its goals and tone, a distinctive feature that ought to interest all of us is the key measurement in assessing whether transformation takes place: The Elimination of Systemic Poverty.
All business owners, employees, government officials, educators and social service personnel ought to sit up and take note of any movement that has elimination of systemic poverty as its key indicator. The focus of this newsletter is business, but the application will be obvious for all the other audiences, as well.
What is systemic poverty? In short, it is a system that creates or sustains obstacles to success in any or all of the areas of finances, motivation, relationships and spirituality. The existence of these obstacles translates into the depression of cultural and economic vibrancy. The results are obvious and directly felt by business. For the common good, as well as for our own best interest, the elimination of systemic poverty ought to be a goal we all share.
So, what can business leaders and employees do about it? Let me suggest ideas in three main areas: attitudes, knowledge and action.
- Attitudes. I would like to challenge three attitudes prevalent in business that I believe support a system of poverty. Me-First is an attitude that says only by putting our own interests first are we able to help others. However, any first year business student learns that only by meeting the needs of the customer can we be successful. I posit that the same is true of our community, our society, our vendors, our employees, etc. Us vs. Them is a related attitude based in a scarcity mentality – the belief that there is only so much – not enough to go around. Common business knowledge refutes that, too, in that competition is good for business. Successful businesses recognize the opportunities in creativity and diversification. Healthy business climates are those in which companies are in development and expansion mode. Finally, the Yes-But-Not-Me attitude which acknowledges need around us but avoids addressing it because someone else should, could or would.
- Knowledge. Business owners, and entrepreneurs in particular, are notorious for being so focused on their own operations, that they fail to see what is going on about them. Once again, I call on accepted marketing knowledge to challenge all of us to continually scan the news for needs and trends in local, national and global events. Let us open our eyes to any indication of systemic poverty in any of the four areas and seriously examine them in light of our own strategic and operational plans.
- Action. Any systems theorist knows that the most powerful element of any system is inertia. All that is needed for anything to become institutionalized is inaction on our part. And systems are inherently difficult to change. The key, then is concentrated, directed, purposeful action. Business leaders and employees must overcome the Yes-But-Not-Me attitude, and take action.
This is a call to businesses. Listen up. It is in our own best interest to care about and act to eliminate systemic poverty in all its forms. Sit down right now and examine your own company or organization and its place in this culture-killing system.
For the Christian perspective and highly effective resources in the elimination of systemic poverty, visit http://www.transformourworld.org.