Connect People, Planet and Profit!
Sustainability is key for modern organisations. It’s packed in the triad People, Planet, Profit. A holistic view on organisations has never been the key asset of Anglo Saxon CEOs and managers. Therefore, when a concept like this triad is being introduced, people always tend to prioritize: which of the three P’s comes first? A very comfortable question for decision makers because it gives them the recognizable opportunity to be competitive. So, when the government stimulates responsibility for the environment and on top Al Gore comes by and preaches Planet, then the dice are cast. Profit and Planet fight for the number one position while People fall behind.
Favouring Planet over People is the topic of an article in De Volkskrant of January 30, 2010. The article describes companies like AkzoNobel, TNT and DSM who do very well on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, but who do very poor on working conditions. This comes to the surface painfully now the worldwide financial crisis forces companies to make choices. And as expected, number three in the ranking of the three P’s is sacrificed. People are being squeezed or fired.
The way to get most out of people is to handle the management principle of Fun & Performance. Fun at work leads to more profit and it will extrapolate the environmental responsibility of organisations. When all employees are connected to the organisation and its policy, they become the engine for growth. Combining Fun and Performance results in realizing goals. By neglecting employees their trust will decline. And when trust becomes an issue then it undermines sustainability. See how for instance distrust has disrupted the world wide financial system.
The same article tells us that investing in people costs a lot of money. However, Fun & Performance teaches us that investing in people isn’t a money issue but a time issue. The highest valued indicator for employees is ‘recognition and appreciation’. In other words taking care of people. Cherish your people because they add value. Value for money.
Recognizing that employees are the biggest source of adding value means that People, Planet and Profit shouldn’t compete with each other. They are one. When will we finally start understanding that our real challenge is the future?
The only way to build a brighter future is connection. The three P’s have to be connected, people within organisations have to be connected, organisations have to be connected. Humanity and nature have to be connected. But first of all, people have to be connected to themselves.
A holistic point of view is necessary to deal with all the challenges we face. It’s not People or Planet or Profit. It’s People and Planet and Profit. &!
