《Corporate Sigma 3》.pdf

2 Corporate Beliefs: The Soul There is nothing more pathetic than a man with eyesight but no vision. Helen Keller Author and activist In many religions, the soul is the eternal part of a person. It is usually thought to consist of one’s inner awareness and personality, and can be synonymous with the spirit, mind, or self. The dictionary defines soul as “An entity which is regarded as being an immortal or spiritual part of the person and, though having no physical or material reality, is credited with the functions of thinking and willing, hence determining all behavior.”1 This capacity of the soul to think and determine behavior allows the cre- ation of vision. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley believed that “Nothing con- tributes so much to tranquilizing the mind as a steady purpose — a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.”2 She was describing the innate need of the soul to have a vision — a point to focus on and guide it. Just as human beings have this need, the corporation, which also has a soul, needs a vision to guide it. Corporations that have embraced this ideal have noticeable characteris- tics. They show passion, commitment, and the ability to achieve extraor- dinary success. They are soulful, and it shows in the ways they conduct their business, energize their employees, and exist within their communi- ties. On the other hand, corporations without soul usually appear disor- ganized, distracted, and unproductive. Many studies have shown that companies that adhere to a well-defined core ideology and that have a clear organizational mission, vision, and core values become very successful. Jim Collins and Jerry Porras provide a well- documented example of such study in their book, Built to Last.3 The study