The Humanity that Must Live Inside Every Business

This story of mine uses on one hand the filter of direct experience in the field and on the other the comparison with the evolution of the world, of organizations, and above all of the people who live in them.

Capitalism could have a thousand meanings, positive or negative.

My thought is that capitalism has among its merits those, in particular, of having determined significant economic growth, but also innovation for society, not only for itself. The capitalist economy is not based only on quantity, but also on quality. A quality is capable of breaking traditions, pre-established mental patterns, and previous habits.

On the other hand, however, capitalism has revealed its fragile face in the lack of adequate protection and guarantee of some essential rights of each person. Important elements for people have been neglected, such as, for example, everything that concerns their health, relationships, family, and community.

It is for this reason that I believe that the maximization of profit ends up dehumanizing the economy and, therefore, it is essential to think of a more ambitious model, that takes entrepreneurs out of the monopolizing tunnel of profit, which obviously we must not demonize as such, and which opens the doors to a much wider range of opportunities.

In fact, we must also consider as capital the natural environment, health, psychological well-being of people, the spiritual sphere, society, and culture.

These are not spheres that can be put on the sidelines of a company’s business, because of its tension towards a profit that excludes any distraction.

This makes the call to ethics and social justice inevitable, to an economy at whose center is the well-being of each person, in an attempt to articulate new visions, with sustainability as a fundamental element, considering the concept of common good at the basis of the economy.

Adapting to a more humane and ethically sustainable model requires a decisive change of pace.

The new generations are also asking us to do this, as they no longer see work as the only answer to the question of meaning. Work is part of life and, in addition to enhancing personal skills and talents, it must not prevent people from realizing themselves through relationships, family, and the need to grow even outside of work dynamics.

So, here is the innovative element that can only be the impact assessment, which must become a parameter and guide for each assessment and each production.

We have numbers and technologies that we can put at the service of human development. Every economic fact must be correlated with what comes from it in terms of impact on people and the environment, generating inclusion and overcoming suffering and new poverty.

The aim, the objective, the purpose of the entrepreneur must be to generate profits also for the well-being of people; not only for redistribution, but use of such profits for positive actions of sustenance, training, and social inclusion.

The company must be understood as an integral part of society, in which the needs of citizens and communities weigh as much as the requests of shareholders, in which the entrepreneur directs the mission (free from thoughts of mere philanthropy) not only towards the achievement of profit objectives but towards the welfare of his collaborators and the community.

For this purpose, we need visionary capitalist figures, protagonists oriented without laziness towards change, towards a change of direction, towards the generation of value.

Humanity is ready for a new model, which puts people and their enormous responsibility at the centre of everything: respecting the biosphere and the rights of future generations, as well as those of all peoples.

Being human to me means recognizing vulnerability to experiences such as shame, judgment, and reprimand. Admitting our own limitations is the key to everything, and is a sign of courage.

And then, cannot miss the sense of humor, which is essential to survive difficult moments and to not take him/herself too seriously!

That’s all.

I am convinced that the best people are those who live and work putting their heart first (the one made of emotions, passion, fears, and courage. The one that fights. The one that forgives. And that helps. The empathetic one. The genuine one). If a person can then mix heart and head without ever losing sight of the focus on their goals, they can give life to success stories.

The core value of a company is humanity. The company is the place where we spend most of our lives: the workplace defines our existence, relationships, and quality of life. This is where the revolution for well-being and gratitude begins.