Trickle Down Economics isn’t working the way it was intended and never did.

What’s really happening is more like the separation of Oil and Vinegar. The more you let an economy stagnate, the more the wealth floats to the top like Oil and ends up in the hand of the rich with less in the hands of the poor. But having all the oil on top makes terrible salad dressing. Separation continues until someone creatively does something about it.

There are two scenarios that we are seeing playing out (and a third scenario that could make a difference):
1) The poor can shake up the economy or,
2) The rich can shake up the economy or,
3) (The government can shake the economy)

The Solution of the Oppressed

Occupy Wall Street, riots in the Eurozone, and North Africa’s Arab Spring are all examples of how the oppressed tend to shake things up. Since their resources are limited, they use whatever means they have available to them. Rioting and demonstration is one tool. Their other tool, if they are lucky enough to live in a democracy, and wise enough to recognize myths of the economy, is to vote for representatives that actually support their interests. Here is an article that accurately dispels one of those myths and which also supports the Salad Dressing Theory of economics.

A Rich American Destroys The Fiction That Rich People Create The Jobs

(A note to be added. After attending a conference on Social and Economic Development, I am learning about a few other concepts which have been working for impoverished people particularly in the global south where many groups of women have been encouraged to work together to save small amounts of money each week (0.15cents/each) and gradually they learn business skills to be able to take this small amount of collective money and begin their own businesses and their own community lending programs without the benefit of micro-finance organizations. Although such efforts should be unnecessary in the global north, whether such collective efforts might help the poor in our communities to advance and have a greater voice is an interesting question. During their collective community meetings, the women learn not only to address financial needs of the community but also designate a part of their meetings for addressing social needs. In some of these groups, men have been allowed to participate as long as they don’t attempt to subvert the power of the women. )

Solution by the Wealthy

If the wealthy recognize the fundamentals of this principle (i.e. that the wealth always rises through the instrument of profit), they should have no fear in shaking things up.

In order for the economy to be revitalized by the rich, it has to be shaken to mix the wealth into the poverty just as oil into vinegar in salad dressing. Since, wealth naturally floats back to the top, there has to be a way of continuously pumping the wealth to the bottom members of society. Only then will they have enough money to spend to keep the economy moving.  The article above rightly points out that Henry Ford realized this principle and ensured that he always paid his workers enough to become his customers.

Another way, however, is through investments in the poorest sectors of society that benefit the poor in tangible ways. The following article is another example of that kind of mixing. Adidas is planning to sell a kind of Reebok running shoes in India for $1.00 using local labor and materials. At first, they may loose money but it will come back to them in the form of social capital and eventually profitable business.

What, Why: How can Rebook sell trainers for $1

(Note: One of my classmates rightly pointed out an interesting environmental issue with this, namely that if the trainers are built too cheaply or with non-recyclable materials, billions of used trainers will clutter-up land fills. Good point Greg, lets hope that Adidas contemplates plans for recycling, provided incentives for returning them, and thus reduces their material costs.)

Similar to the Ford example, the Tata Nano, a $2000 car, built for the masses in India, helps get families off dangerous motorcycles and into cars and is another great example of making products that the masses can afford.

(Note: The concept of having individual transportation driven by gas is ultimately not sustainable, so while I cite this as an example of creative economic stimulation that helps the masses, I actually hope that India and all other counties for that matter very quickly recognize the need for better designed communities that limit transportation requirements, improve public sector transportation systems, engage renewable power and utilize electric vs. gas vehicles. Are there any creative electric bus builder out there that wants to step up to the challenge with a solar powered transportation solution?)

If we want to look at solutions to many of the economic problems, the wealthier countries, companies and individuals need to create vital and thriving partnerships with the poorer nations and people to provide opportunties, goods and services which genuinely benefit the poor. As the poor benefit from wealth, the rich will also benefit.

The Government Solution

Government can play a role by building sustainable infrastructures, developing renewable energy powered transportation systems, investing in education and research and through taxation of wealth, wherever it is hiding, to redistribute some of it to the majority of the people in the world who are becoming poorer.  Higher taxation is  necessary especially if the wealthy are unwilling or lack the creativity to shake things up.

Sharing Ideas

If you agree with the Salad Dressing theory of Economics, please feel free to Share this article in whatever way you would like. Post the link, share through facebook, linked in, or Twitter or add to your bookmarking site.

Wishing you all good health and happiness,

Garth

While we could have predicted the reduction in price of laptops anyway, as a result of continued exponential advances in technology, targeting $100 was, at the time, aggressive to say the least. Having said that, the only real question was “how long will it take”? At long last, several computer makers are building $100 laptops (netbooks) including Cherrypal and others albeit generally on an Android platform rather than Windows. 

After, more or less achieving the initial goals of OLPC, Negroponte is targeting a new $75 price point for OLPC based on a tough, ultra low energy, solar powered tablet computer with an 8GHz processor by 2012. Immediately critics of his goal cry foul stating the obvious, that he isn’t a technology expert and that an ultra low power 8GHz processer will likely not be available at such a low price by 2012. But they are forgetting the fact that this is a paradigm setting goal and, for Negroponte, I suspect it is more about setting the target than it is about his personal success at reaching the goal.  If anyone reaches the goal, the children and youth of the world are still the beneficiaries and Negroponte wins.

And, not to worry, at the same time Negroponte is announcing his goal, the  Indian Institute of Technology has already announced its’ intention of developing a $35 (about 1500 rupees) solar powered tablet which will be available for Indian students along with wideband networking at it’s 22000 universities. This goal is from a country with a 63% literacy rate and success in developing a $2000 car for the masses. What is beginning to emerge is radical life changing technologies that will not only revolutionize the fortunes of India, but of the rest of the world. Computing power and access to information will soon be in the hands of every child and every person who wants it and, I for one, couldn’t be happier.

What are the impacts on the world?

Access to technology has been life changing for all of us. It has made our lives easier and more interesting. It has connected us and given us collective capabilities never before possible. It has allowed the disadvantaged to access information that they might never have otherwise had and it has given a voice to everyone. It will continue to change the world that we live in in ways that we are currently unable to comprehend or imagine. Translation devices which bridge the communication gap and nano-technologies are only beginning to make their impact felt. And more technologies are distributed to developing nations, knowledge and consequently the power of knowledge will also become more available to each individual. Our collective and collaborative capacities will only continue to increase. As individuals become empowered through greater access to knowledge, the global playing field of capability will rapidly begin to level. Education will become available for virtually all those who seek it.  And once the information is available, the deployment of solutions to many of humanity’s greatest challenges is not far away. Deployment of solutions also means expansion of the global market.

What does it all mean for Global Business?

Agility is the key for tomorrow’s organizations. Recognizing that profits will continue to flow to companies that either lead in research and development, or those that excel in the mass production of newer, smaller and less expensive products that meet the needs of a global market of more than 7 billion people where most will eventually participate due the shrinking cost of being connected to the rest of the world. In countries which are working seriously towards the UN Millennium Development Goals, poverty is being reduced, global commerce is increasing and education levels are rising, at least partly due the introduction of less expensive mobile communications.

The attraction to outsourcing will continue until salaries around the world are much closer to being equivalent and that will only happen when all people globally enjoy a similar standard of living. When I used to predict this more than 15 years ago, many people I knew rejected the fairness of outsourcing, and when I told my Indian counterparts that I encouraged outsourcing and supported their efforts, it seemed at that time that equalization was at least a century away. But with continued globalization and the introduction of extremely inexpensive electronic devices, I believe these goals are now within the grasp of this generation. 

Although part of this equalization process may be as a result of stagnant North American and European economy along with stagnant salaries, the other part is through the introduction of cheap electronics and affordable communication devices which improves not only the living conditions of our developing neighbors but also our own. It continues to introduce both educational and entertainment value into our lives, improves our collective capacities and expands our collaborative initiatives. In addition, the salaries in Asian countries, especially for educated workers, continues to increase as work continues to be outsourced. Countries such as China, India, Vietnam and some of the other ASEAN nations continue to experience unprecedented growth in GDP of between 7 and 9% annually. Currency fluctuation will only stabilize when the outsourcing trend begins to wane or when the need for international currency is eventually recognized and accepted.

In the face of the expanding introduction of technologies, new power demands will arise, and we might question the efficacy of growth in the face of continued use of fossil fuels, but it will happen regardless. No one or no nation can hold back the potential of it’s people once they begin understand what is available to them. The best we can do is to continue to encourage countries, including our own, to become leaders in the research and development of clean technologies.

For now, I have incredible hope for the future of humanity. Though we can always find bad in the world, there are so many positive developments that we only need to look for them to feel optimistic. It is also true that we have many challenges to overcome but I have faith in the nobility of the human spirit and the capacity of human heart and mind to overcome these challenges. Irrespective of our current situation, the education of the minds, the development of virtues, and our growing connectedness as a human race is slowly unlocking the door to our humanity and our collective potential.

If you like these ideas of find them helpful, please share them with others by whatever means you find easiest.

All the best,
Garth Schmalenberg

For example, on reading the World Values Survey, there appeared to be a trend toward individualism and secularism until 1980, after which the values seemed to take a little bit of a reversal at least in most cases. While there was no discussion on this point in the chart, I have to wonder if there was a pause to re-think the issue of continued movement towards secularism and individualism.  

What’s even more interesting is that the Happiness Index taken by the World Values Survey suggested decreasing happiness in the US until 1980 (this same period of trending toward secularism and individualism) after which there was a reversal. The US happiness index also increased from 1980 onward peaking at 2006 during the Bush administration, although perhaps by that point with the anticipation of change on the horizon.

 Still, I have to wonder whether the reversal in trend toward secularism and individualism suggests.

Perhaps it is that people are only comfortable with these trends to a degree and then begin to recognize that human choice is ultimately best served when there is an alignment with the Will of God (or acceptance of higher values as represented by religious belief). In other words, people choose to submit their own will to a greater Will and are subsequently happier when they do so. The reasons for this may be related to feelings of altruism or having a greater sense of purpose but it may also be that our happiness really comes from sharing happiness with others. Serving others who are not grateful generally does little to lift the spirits.

There also seemed to be an overall increase of happiness during the period for most societies as they trends toward global consciousness, an increase of wealth and as their ability to make choices increase. Some of this is contradicted by other studies which suggest that too much choice actually causes anxiety, complexity and a decrease in happiness.  In other words, as we spend much more time trying to choose, we become less satisfied because we are confused by our choices and less satisfied after the fact with our choices because we contemplate all the other choices that we are now living without. With simpler choices we simply make the best choice we can of a few items and then moving on with life.  This would suggest that the increase in choices related to increasing happiness is something else. Perhaps this freedom of choice is related more to what we do with our time, our ability to buy nutritious food, our ability to live in decent homes, have better education and our ability to vote. 

Another interesting dynamic is that societies which consider themselves as less democratic have a higher regard for the importance of democracy and yet are more critical of their own country’s democratic structures suggesting perhaps that the more democracy becomes an accepted norm, the more we also learn to take our choices for granted.  

From a sustainability perspective, the increase in happiness related to collective consciousness and a move towards spirituality rather than secular materialism is undoubtedly a good thing. On the other hand, without spiritual or values based education, the increase in economic freedom of the many billions in developing countries also signals a serious challenge to the global environment. Freedom of choice is good when we are educated to think in ways that are good for the world, but democracy and freedom once taken for granted also lead to a sense of entitlement which lead us to believe that we can enjoy the world’s resources with impunity. So while this may bring us temporary happiness, it has also brought us closer to the brink of environmental tragedy. The carbon economy being the most prevalent example, while benefiting our freedom in the western world, has contributed to untold misery of countless millions who we see only as statistics on our big screen HD TVs. If we were to measure the happiness index of Pakistan at this moment, it is certain that there would be a major dip.  

For businesses what do these trends suggest?  

It is difficult to make any firm conclusions in translating these trends to business directions but we may be able to draw some conclusion.

1) Types of Products

If we are actually interested in serving our client’s true happiness, we would read the trends that suggest a move away from individualism and secularism and create more products and services which help us all to operate together as a society in ways which promote an increasing values base and which serve the common good (sustainability being an example), all while keeping choices relatively limited. Interestingly, companies like GM, with the reduction of the number of brands (i.e. the demise of Oldsmobile and Pontiac)  have actually begun down this path of simplification even if for seemingly unrelated economic reasons. Could it be that too much choice was also too much for the consumer? 

2) Quality of Products 

Quality in products also introduces a form of simplification to the consumer. If you don’t have to keep fixing your car every few weeks, your life is more straight forward. The same is true for any product which is more durable.   

3) Conceptual Freedom

When people are free to use their time in service to others, especially those they choose to serve, they tend to be happier. This suggests that while challenge at work is important, finding the right work environment is critical for both the employee and the company. Free time after work is also necessary. Creating a working environment where people are free to learn and interact with others in the work place and which limits their working time so that they are also free to spend time with friends and family will ultimately contribute to a happier society. Creating freedom to interact, however, is generally not enough in a working environment. Often there is a need for education on team work, values based consultation and respect for the contributions of others. Placing a team challenge in front of an aggressive group of competitive individuals (i.e. not a team) is often a recipe for backbiting, smears, conflict and other forms of disunity which contribute nothing to the overall happiness of the organization, nor in the end, to the service of clients.  

4) Social Contribution

Employers do well to make part of their organization about contributing to the common good and allowing employees to participate in socially oriented endeavors. While suggested by recent trends away from individualism, this concept is also supported by studies of what employees value in companies where they are employeed. Salary is important but it’s not everything. Economic studies have proven that people are willing to sacrifice money both for justice and for altruistic reason. And there is no doubt consumers will also be swayed towards companies that hold high values. Ikea is an interesting example of a company which has grow partially as a result of it’s environmental orientation. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on my conclusions and please share these ideas and  articles with others if you like them, either by e-mailing the link or though the share button. 

All the best, 

Garth Schmalenberg

Among the many brilliant presenters was a young lady who is working on her PhD thesis whose presentation was entitled “What Can Justify Duties of Global Economic Justice? Individual Responsibility, Human Consciousness, and the Oneness of Humankind”. Her name is Shahrzad Sabet. In asking the question, she began by sharing with us the globally accepted UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights. She the began to dissect the responsibilities for the implementation of these rights. To be fair to Shahrzad, I will state that the remaining text is my perhaps feeble understanding of the arguments she so simply and brilliantly presented and perhaps, at some point, I will have a chance to speak with her further to clarify or to refer on-line to her thesis work, but I can only say that after hearing what she had to say, I was completely overwhelmed by her convincing arguments recognizing that there really isn’t a minute to lose in beginning to bring this argument forward on a wide basis, and I am also quite convinced that someday this young lady will be amongst the Nobel Peace Prize winners because these same arguments will force all nations and all people of conscience to take action. Such action will come in the form of adopting laws and practices which will require all citizens of the world (or at least those who have the freedom to vote or make buying decisions), all business leaders and all government leaders to act forcefully in upholding these Human Rights by taking practical, direct and personal responsibility for implementing Global Economic Justice through their votes for responsible government representatives, those who will make the necessary revisions in government institutions, and in turn, through laws which will require all people to make these Human Rights a reality.

In nations such as Pakistan, Haiti, India, Indonesia and many others, billions suffer under the oppression of poverty, the lack of a suitable infrastructure, and through catastophic environmental impacts, while much of the world continues to enjoy their freedoms without paying much attention and governments pay immense amounts of money towards military spending and the expansion of environmentally destructive practices which only serve to further human suffering.

Her arguement goes something like this:

The majority of all nations on earth have accepted the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

A “Right” as opposed to something else (e.g. an idea or a privilege) is essentially the entrenched global and national liability of society to provide something to each individual. As the majority of nations, and their electorate, having elected their representatives, have accepted that this right exists, then the responsibility to implement this right also exists.

She then asks the question “whose responsibility is it to implement these Human Rights?”

Since it is ultimately the responsibility of global agreement and therefore global and national institutions, including national, (as well as regional and local governments) and global (as well as national and local) businesses, and since those government and business institutions are made up of individuals who have power to vote, to make their voices heard, to individually make decisions within businesses, and to take actions such as deciding what goods to purchase and what institutions to purchase from, thereby supporting and upholding these institutions, we also must understand that as individuals we have a legal liability to make decisions which support Global Human Rights (including our own).

While I may not do full justice to her argument, it was too powerful to ignore. And, while it would certainly be better to hear this argument directly from her, owing to the fact that, while my statement of the argument probably has holes in it, she covered off these holes masterfully and it is a message that needs to be heard by everyone and it needs to be heard now, especially by business and government leaders who have yet to act on this responsibility. Any human being who enjoys these essential Human Rights must also acknowledge that if, for some reason, they lost the benefits which are bestowed by these fundamental Rights, they would very quickly be calling for own government to impose laws and regulations to restore them. Since these institutions are the result of our personal choices, we also have the legal and ethical responsibility to make the appropriates choices on behalf of those who have not had the benefit of these Human Rights.

Practical Applications

In writing this article, I am making an appeal that all readers contemplate what they are reading to the depths of their heart, with full consiousness, to recognize their own nobility of spirit and to understand the very real obligation it imposes on them. The responsibility for Global Human Justice is as much yours as it is mine.

What might our actions be?

For one, we can all be making these responsibilities known to every elected government official that we know by writing to them, by speaking to them, by holding sessions with them and by educating them. We can tell them that we expect them to implement these rights Globally. How otherwise can we truely protect our own Human Rights? We can simply present the same arguments to them as were presented to us. The implication of this responsiblity is profound. It would require that all Governments meet together, not just about global economics and not just about global security as in G8 and G20 meetings, but about informing all citizens of the world about their legal responsibilities. Our Government officials would be morally obliged tell the world’s electorate that they are also ethically responsible to vote for those who are best suited to implement these Human Rights regardless of which party affiliation they may hold. The elected officials might in-turn, take efforts to share these concepts with their fellow officials, and to encourage the position of their respective governements to also begin making these Global Human Right their top priority and to initiate a global discussion on how to most effectively implement them.

We might also invite our neighbors to share this message so that each person has the opportunity to deeply understand the implications and to begin to take action on addressing this liability and acting with ethical responsibility. We can do so using all our resources, in our homes, our schools, our government council halls, our churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other centres of faith.

For those who have the skills to do so, we can speak in public or in business gatherings inviting consultation on the implications for each of us individually and collectively. For those who have the skill to invite, we can invite others and host meetings. We can call upon our business leaders to invite speakers to speak about this approach to every employee.

We might begin to insist that our tax dollars be spent on the reconstruction of our global society by first addressing the most serious Global Human Rights infringements. After all, some day those infringements may be against us. As I am currently sitting on Vancouver Island, which is beautiful but which at some point is destined to experience a severe earth quake, I can only contemplate the rights which have been denied the people of Haiti as a result of a similar force or, perhaps more potently, the Human Rights denied the millions that have suffered at the hands of climate change, and for which we all share the burden of responsibility. What would it mean if all the world’s available resources were spent in solving the most grievious problems first? How quickly would we be able to address our relatively minor local concerns if the world’s government and business leaders would learn how to work together? And at the same time, rather than placing the responsiblity of our relatively minor local concerns on our elected officials, we could work together as neighbors to begin to address our local concerns in service of each other, and encourage our elected leaders to think globally to address the most serious of our personal legal liabilities (i.e. the oppression and poverty of countless millions) on our behalf.

We might insist that our elected officials vote on laws that require our countries’ taxes to be diverted away from military spending, to require that military only serve the purpose of implementing Global Human Rights rather than causing violations of Human Rights. Imagine, for example, that only 50% of global military expenditures went directly into implementation of these legal responsiblities to relieve Human suffering, provide education, protection of personal rights, provide the right to work and to provide adequate food and shelter. How quickly would things change? And in finding global agreement on our personal resposibilities, how quickly would governments be able to jointly resolve issues such as terrorism?

We might ensure that, until these rights are imparted in action to every citizen in the world, we would continue to insist that this be top priority for all governments and businesses that we support.

We might take some time to educate ourselves on the causes and sources of these violations and expose sources that we are aware of (e.g. environmental and other violators of human rights), not for the purpose of condemning them, but for the purpose of raising the awareness of those involved in either actions or through neglect of action, that they (and we) are responsible and help them to make the necessary decisions, providing all assistance we can muster, to rapidly revise their course of action. It is not so much that people wish to do harm, rather that due to human weaknesses, a lack of awareness of the harm we cause, and a lack of discipline (i.e. the lower part of human nature), that we fail to make the efforts required of our higher nature (read that again, it is “required” of our higher nature for what is is after all to be “Human”?)

This is a very deep topic and, I can only hope that others will go deeper than I have and present this arguement with more accuteness and more forcefully than me. I am deeply hopeful and recognize that inside each of us is seed of a higher nature which can grow and which through our collective efforts will grow into a fruitful and beautiful tree bearing many fruits.

I’d love to hear your comments and questions.

Please spread this message in any way you can, by e-mail, by your voice, by inviting people, by speaking on it, by letters, by referal.
Please call if you have any questions.
Please invite me to speak to your group or organization on this vital subject.
Please keep your eyes open for the brilliant potential of the higher human nature wherever it may arise.

My best wishes to you all,
Garth Schmalenberg

http://hbi-leadership.com
http://twitter.com/gschmalenberg
Ph: 416-919-6598

Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren developed a formula for examining environmental impact stating that I = f(PAT) where I is impact, P is Population, A is Affluence, T is Technology. In other words, if we increase global population, which is inevitable, in order to maintain environmental impact, we must reduce either the Affluence, or create Technologies that reduce individual and collective impact. Brown and Garver changed the formula to I = f(PATE) and added the influence of Ethics. They also conclude that each of these variables have an influence on the others. Without going into a deeper description of the variables, we can generally agree that from a world population view, this view of human impact of the planet seems fatalistic because we know that the planet is already stressed beyond limits and on average, Population and Affluence are both increasing.

This would seemingly leave the entire hope of humanity resting upon the ability of Technology or a sudden swell of Ethics to decrease our net impact on the planet. Recent flooding in Pakistan disrupting the lives of 12 million people and leaving 4 million with food shortages, the worst in 80 years, mudslides in China, and a massive block of ice (260 square km and half the height of the empire state building) which recently fell off the ice shelf in Iceland into the water suggest that our climate is still shifting in uncontrolable and potentially dire directions. Ice falling off a land based shelf, by the way, does contribute to elevated ocean levels, cooling of oceans in the immediate vacinity of the ice, and vast amounts of fresh water (i.e. desalination) being dumped into the ocean and affecting ocean flows.

So here’s the question: Can we solve the issues facing us with only Technology and Ethics before our planet is irrepairably damaged and forces our hand on the factors of Affluence and Population?

The short answer is “probably not”! But there are ways in which Technology and Ethics can have an a positive impact on affluence and ethics and here’s how one idea of how a solution could unfold from an individual, business and global perspective.

The Influence of Technology and Ethics

Can technology alone solve the complex issues of planetary degradation? At first glance technology does not seem to have the answers to our current dilemma. We know that technology has vastly improved our ability to communicate, upgraded efficiencies of business through applications like ERP and supply chain management, improved our ability to service customers, enhanced our quality control systems leading to more durable goods and provided the ability to reduce travel costs through collaborative software. Our ability to harness more power from less fuel is also benefitting our automotive technologies and air travel per mile is benefiting from lighter materials, advanced engines and cleaner fuels. But have we actually used these technologies to reduce our net power consumption and CO2 production per capita? Well, perhaps just a little.

Technologies such as “LED” televisions for example, which at first glance might seem much seem more efficient than older CRT technologies, actually use about twice the power for the same screen size or three times for plasma TVs ( although these too are improving with the latest generation of Energy Star ratings). In addition, brighter more beautiful pictures, the requirement for digital boxes, the addition of channels and the larger screen sizes (which also require more power) might tend to increase viewing hours. The power consumption due to newer technologies, in some respects is going up, not down, thus increasing our impact on all fronts. And the effect of having more perceived efficieny leads us to use power more freely.

And let’s face it, if all the other three factors are creating a greater impact on the environment, we would have a  tough time claiming that our ethics are improving.

I = f(PATE) suggests that we currently have a failing grade.

Having said that, many companies have made concerted efforts to implement colaborative technologies. I have personally worked with many individuals and some companies who use skype or conference call technologies to meet rather than meeting face to face thus reducing travel and CO2 emissions. At this stage in technological evolution, meeting in person is still far better, but technology, according to Ray Kurzweil, is continually growing in it’s capability, power and scope of application and, at some point in the not too distant future, meeting virtually may provide an experience which is close to that of meeting in person. The fact that virtually all technologies have continued to advance exponentially and appear to be continuing on this path (despite suggestions of those that hold that Moore’s law will break down) might suggest that solutions are closer than we currently perceive.

Simple examples of recent advances in solar technologies include panels which can catalyze hydrogen from water using only sunlight and CO2, essentially mimicking photosynthesis, as well as new coatings that allow heat to be used advantageously in the generation of solar photovoltaic energy rather than wasting it, making solar cells cost competative with energy developed through burning oil. Carbon nanotubes have proven valuable for many applications including storage of energy and high speed computing, and wireless signals. Communications using quantum attributes such as quantum entanglement are leading to smaller and virtually instantaneous communication approaches. AI (Artificial Intelligence) approaches constantly advance our abilities to understand each other and share information (e.g. through automated language translation devices) and new applications of context based search enable us to more rapidly find relavent information for expanded research sharing. Neural interfaces are already being used for some applications which could theoretically make our ability to access an ever expanding ocean of knowledge almost instantaneous. Google’s CEO reported that in two days we now produce as much information as we previously did through all of recorded history up till 2003. And our ability to mine this information is also rapidly advancing. Although many of these more recent technologies are not yet at their production phases, they are making their way to practical applications through the advanced business practices and through the internet which allows for rapid prototyping and less-expensive mass implementation.

Our challenge is to use technology in an ethical way that recognizes the global environment as the foundation for all of our business and commercial advances and for human life in general. No amount of technology will help if we use it only to mine marketing data to market more products and encourage more consumption. How to use information is an ethical issue which companies like Google and Yahoo are struggling with. Just because you have the information doesn’t mean you should use it for marketing every product. CEO’s of major corporations will need to make major strategic decisions to take global ethics into account and to take an oath similar to the medical oath “do no harm”.

As greener technologies make their way through the business world, production expenses can be “theoretically” reduced through lower resource needs and using renewable energy devices. By lowering consumer prices of green technologies and communication technologies, business leaders can put tools in the hands of consumers which will help them to save energy and resources (e.g. faster implementation of technologically advanced solar cells, electric cars, etc.), thereby encouraging less resource consumption and a greater focus on services. Business leaders who have adopted good ethical practices see the benefit of sharing profits with their workers because it encourages them to become promoters of their products and services. Good economic practices suggest that well paid workers help the economy by providing customers.

Naturally, some problems with new technologies can be anticipated, but according to Kurweil, as more and more of our daily lives become technology and information related and as the power of technology continues to advance expoentially, our ability to become more green through technology could begin to take the same exponential path that other technologies are already benefiting from.

Another trend in technology that may lead to greener outcomes is that of convergence, where cellphones and other mobile technologies begin to occupy more and more of our time, thereby reducing the need for other devices in our lives. Convergence of devices can theoretically reduce our production and energy needs. This, however, also depends somewhat on our ethics and our awareness that reducing production and resource usage is actually a desirable end result. If all we do is continue to add more devices to our already vast collection, we will have gained little.

The implications of exponential technological growth are not well understood by most people. Kurzweil argues that most of us tend to think linearly, not exponentially. If you double capabilities each year, in 10 years you get a 1000 fold increase in capability. If we can make most technologies energy neutral and begin to use the exponential growth capability of new technologies, especially those that are specifically designed to reduce our energy requirements and to supply our energy needs, a 1000 fold improvement in our green technologies over the next ten years may not be out of the question. Technological paradigms such as nanotechnologies which will help us to put more power into smaller devices, artificial intelligence will enhance context based search capabilities, and continued enhancements in solar power collection will benefit from both our growing ability to rapidly market and implement green technologies through mass communication. 

In addition, each year the number of social justice organizations and businesses leaders that support positive social change is growing. As the cost of technology decreases, it also provides new capabilities and a means for educating developing nations, which incidentally has an impact on reducing population. Educating women especially tends to help them set up a family support system that doesn’t depend on having large families to provide for future security.  Technologically advanced devices can lead to vast increases in affluence and education without an enourmous demand on planetary resources.

While Ethics and Technology aren’t the only factors that will play a part in the solution, they are an important component. And if we are to use the technology to reduce our consumption, we must also change our values and elevate our ethical conscience to include global as well as local concerns so we don’t just add capability without changing our ways.

All the best,

Garth Schmalenberg

If you enjoy this article, please share it by clicking on the share link, e-mail, by telling someone about this site or by calling and arranging a speaking engagement.

It’s fairly clear that people are just not ready to give up their holidays, their retirement freedoms or their independent modes of transportation. Even those of us who are aware of the severe issues have difficulty giving up our carbon habit. A book called “Right Relationship” by Peter G. Brown and Geoffrey Garver discusses how we have, for the most part, failed to maintain a right relationship with the planet and suggests how we might re-establish such relationships. But if we are going to maintain “Right Relationship” with our planet while maintaining “Right Relationship” with our friends and our families (who often live some distance from us) and our own sense of well-being which requires exercising some level of freedom, we will need to take a different “tack” than just sitting at home. For those not familiar with this use of the word “tack” it is a method used by sailors when sailing against the wind, whereby they zigzag diagonally across the line of the opposing wind in order to reach their up-wind destination. Ironically, the other way of going up-wind is to motor. Even though sailboats for the most part are powered by the wind, most have on-board diesel motors for travelling in harbors where using wind power is unreliable. Yet another source of CO2.

If we imagine Sustainability as our up-wind destination (i.e. the wind of our personal freedoms seems to blow in the opposite direction). What are the “tacks” we might take in order to reach our desired destination? We want to arrive at a place where we are in “Right Relationship” with our planet and where we have the freedoms we desire. We want to get their without having to motor all the way and creating a problem for the planet and for future generations.

One thing that sailors learn is that if they have to tack, it will also take longer to arrive at the destination. If you’re a business owner or someone who would like your business to be more sustainable, ask yourself some questions:

What would it mean for a company, a city or any service or manufacturing industry to find a “tack” that takes them to their sustainable destination without motoring?

It might imply slowing down and it might also imply using more manpower and technology. Sailboats use a lot of technology in the design of their hull, their materials, their sails, and in their navigation systems. They also use solar powered fans and panels or wind generators for charging their batteries. But sailors who rely on the wind must still develop patience and find serenity in stillness. If the wind stops blowing, sometimes they just wait and enjoy the view. True, if they have no food on-board, they may not have a choice other than motoring, but they prepare for these contingencies by stocking up and many also learn to fish so they can live along the way.

What are the lessons for business leaders? As a business leader, imagine that you have to plan to survive for 1 day without oil (metaphorically: fully under sail).

• What preparations might you make?
• What are the things you would need to store up if you were to take a small leg of the trip under sail?
• What new navigational skills would you need to learn? 
• What heading would you take?
• What kinds of attitudes might you need to adopt in your organization and leadership styles that would help you to relax with the potentially slower pace of progress and yet still find ways to compete?
• What might you do with the stillness when the winds of sales disappear?
• Who would you be competing against?
• Would your market change?
• How might you elicit support and “wind power” from your market, your customers and competitors?
• How might you learn to ”enjoy the journey”, and not be entirely focused on the destination?

If we where all metaphorical sailors in our businesses (i.e. powered by wind or solar) how might we share the ride with others who know less about sailing but would like to learn? After all, once under sail, there is very little cost to keep going.

Don’t get me wrong, sailing is expensive. Similarly, moving towards sustainable solutions costs money in the beginning and it may potentially represent a tremendousshift in pace. But if we do it correctly, that shift in pace will be a welcome one. One of the most amazing parts of the island culture is that it takes the time to enjoy life and the bounties of nature, music, arts and creativity. From that perspective alone, it has something to teach company leaders.

What is one “tack” any company or organization can take as a starting point to becoming more sustainable? Hire a CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer)! Alternatively, and here’s a little shameless self-promotion for a good cause, you can outsource the CSO function by hiring a company like HBI Leadership (and btw, I’m now supporting and speaking to mainland BC and Vancouver Island businesses and organizations) where experience with leadership development and an understanding of sustainability already exists.

Enjoy your summer,

Garth Schmalenberg

Please share any thoughts or ideas from this article with friends, colleagues or other business/organizational leaders that might benefit from insights on Sustainability.

Development has the potential to do harm but can also be used to do good if it addresses the local needs in a sustainable way. But even high standards such as LEEDs doesn’t guarantee that the results will be positive. On the other hand, using investment opportunities such as Yen Tu to encourage Sustainable Development and the use of LEEDs standards will certainly help to create skills for the future. It increases local expertise related to sustainable building practices, especially when the work is performed primarily by local developers. And it ensures that newly acquired expertise stays local and gets used on future building projects.

From an investment perspective, one way is to encourage sustainable development is to share methods and approaches through active program participation, collaboration and educational programs which allow for project participates to learn new sustainable techniques, always bearing in mind that we can also learn something from the local participants. Some investors are interested only in getting a good return on investment and less interested in how the development work actually gets done. Savvy investors recognize that sustainable building practices bring higher returns, especially when looking a long term value of the project. (If you happen to have access to a few hundred million you’d like to invest, feel free to call me and I’d be happy to direct you on how to invest in this or other projects in Vietnam. After all, there is a very satisfying feeling when you invest in a project that makes a difference in the world while earning you a reasonable rate of return.) Given a secure revenue stream, which the Yen Tu project certainly promises (see details below), long term profits will always be higher when operating expenses are reduced, a natural outcome of lower energy and resource costs. It’s simple math.

One of the natural consequences of Sustainable Development is lower energy and resource costs.  

Reduced expenses lead to higher long term profits. Short term profits are increased because the value of the development is based on long term profitability projections. Based on comments from LEEDs experts, short term costs on development are only increased in LEEDs projects as a result of inexperience. Once past the learning curve, the costs of LEEDs construction are not much different than standard approaches. In the case of such a large development, 700ha and spaning over many years, the overall costs of the development could actually be reduced through use of solar, wind and geothermal technologies which contribute energy to construction and operational efforts over the construction period.

If you create a sustainable infrastructure using solar and wind power, water recycling, geothermal cooling and other clean renewable technologies, the demand for consumable resources is removed or reduced, expenses are less, profits are naturally higher.

So is Yen Tu a good development? Absolutely, but with a little encouragement it could be even better. The Vietnamese Government has stated its goal of encouraging Sustainable Development in the region and is participating in the project by helping to develop better infrastructure around Yen Tu including highways, lakes, waterways and forest management. They are also bringing power to the area. This obviously has many positive implications. It also has some potential down sides.

The development company is introducing solar power for some aspects of the development such as water heating. Having said that, Vietnam gets a lot of sun and realistically could produce a 100% solar powered development with suitable designs. The developer has proposed that only electric vehicles will be used in the Yen Tu development area once completed. But this only helps if they also reduce demands on coal fired generators. The 700ha are will be a resort / tourist city with a convention centre, diplomatic area, several hundred villas, five star and other hotels, Buddhist Training centre, Buddhist cultural areas, theatres and museums, and commercial and retail buildings for development and sales of cultural memorabilia for visitors.

The Yen Tu area is being developed by a successful local company that has proven it’s cability through the development of many other office and hotel properties in Vietnam. Proposed designs recognize and incorporate the spiritual and cultural history of Buddism in Vietnam and incorporated important symbols such as the lotus flower in their architectural themes.

The development company has worked with the various Government Ministiries of Vietnam to ensure their support of the project and in acquiring the property. During our visit, we met with officials from the Ministry of Construction, Natural Resources and Religion. All of them described specifically how they were supporting the project. In the case of the Ministry of Construction, they are improving transportation corridors, water and sewage management and providing electrical connection to the grid.

Yen Tu itself offers a guaranteed stream of visitors that already ranges from 3,000-10,000 visitors daily in the low season and from January through March  has 30,000-60,000 visitors per day. Currently, there is nowhere for these visitors to stay once they arrive. The Yen Tu development promises increased employment in the area, increase revenues to the country, and, by encouraging a sustainable approach, it will lends itself well to a brighter future.

During our trip, we met with the Vietnam Buddhist Association’s top monks. The project not only received their blessings, but their encouragement and involvement. Besides serving a cultural and religious purpose, it provides a service to the many thousands of religious pilgrims and interested tourists.

The development company has also take care in consulting the local people and merchants who will ultimately be affected by the project to ensure that their needs have been addressed. They’ve also invited input from the local scientific and historical community who also support the project.

From a commercial perspective, there is both the long term employment related to the commercial and tourist elements of the town and medium term employment (about 5 years for the first phase of the project) related to construction. From a local and regional perspective, there are homes and local facilites for people who are being displaced from their current homes as a result of construction and for long term employees who will support the commercial and retail operations in the area.

It seems everyone’s happy with the plan. Now all that’s required is to get the investment capital fully in place. The project is already partially funded but there is more opportunity and interest investors are invited to participate. Please see http://hbi-investments.com  for contact information. 

The social view of Sustainable Development in Vietnam
Most governments of the world acknowledge, in some form, the need for Sustainable Development and the necessity to reduce carbon emissions. Vietnam as with other ASEAN nations, is certainly amongst those that recognize this need. Most also have an increasing understanding of the implications of development. However,  they often find the move to Sustainable Development difficult in the face of short term economic concerns of their countries. While having made significant economic progress in recent years, Vietnam continues to face the challenge of bringing 16% of their nation out of the grips of poverty and most of their population of 84 million continue to live at economic levels well below levels enjoyed by western nations. 

Vietnam’s developent from an Environmental Perspective
One of the shortfalls in Vietnam, as in many countries, is that, in the face of ever expanding need for power,  there is huge temptation to exploit readily available coal supplies which are relatively inexpensive to mine. Vietnam, along with other countries is making efforts to reduce it’s carbon emissions by expanding it’s use of nuclear power. Solar is also routinely used for water heating and further development is continuing.

Countries like Vietnam are directly impacted by climate change and are only too aware of the consequences of ignoring it. While it struggles to provide an economy more akin to the ones enjoyed by western nations, it faces increasing environmental challenges which might hamper it’s future prospects. Already they are experiencing some of the social implications of unsustainable development in the form of lost employment, crop failure and food shortage issues related to Climate Change (flooding, drought and severe typhoons) which is impacting inland fishing and farming in central Vietnam as well as the Mekong Delta and the Red River.

They are also facing international instability in the form of disputes with China with regards to conflicting land claims around the Paracell and Spratly Islands, spurred on to some degree by oil and other nearby resources, although talks have been proposed to address these concerns. 

There are also concerns related to mining in some regions. As participants in a global economy, one step we can take is to encourage, through our investment dollars, the participation of companies who make Corporate Social Responibility (CSR) a priority, who make the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) part of their practice and who continuously seek input from local voices.

Please feel free to comment and share your ideas and share this with anyone you think might be interested.

Regards,

Garth Schmalenberg

The speakers before and after Susan told of their life stories, how they came upon some incredible personal hardships, how they overcame their hardships, what they learned, how they had subsequently built successful businesses and how they could help us in doing the same. They were terrific speakers and I truly enjoyed them.

But Susan took a very different approach. She started her presentation with just a sentence or two about her own background, quickly brushed past that part of the presentation, and went on to the story of her work as a PR specialist with her company Babble On Communications.

What struck me was that during her whole presentation, she directed her attention entirely to the causes she was working on and kept saying how fortunate she was to be able to work with these wonderful people. Her focus was entirely outwardly directed and she expressed her excitement and passion about the people or causes she was associated with, whether they were clients or not. Her stories were about their contribution to the world, not hers.

Her story stood out for me because it was so different from the other two talks. Since I hadn’t met a lot of PR specialists I thought perhaps that’s just the way they work. But after recalling the few PR specialists that I had met, her talk still seemed very unusual. Besides having incredibly compelling causes, she got my attention because something in the way she communicated the story told me that she was a much bigger part of the story than she was saying. And I got the very distinct impression from her knowledge of details and activities, that she took these causes very personally, not just professionally.

I was convinced there was more to the story and decided that she would be a good candidate to interview for my series on Business Executives who promote sustainability.

As much as I want to say more about Susan, and I will later in the article, I don’t think she would be very happy unless I first say a little about a few of the causes that she has dedicated her life and work to, and for which she shows so much passion. Besides which, they are stories that help to fill the picture of who Susan is and how she spends her time.

The James fund

The James fund was started by a six year old boy, James Birrell from Peterborough Ontario, who was suffering from Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a very rare and painful form of cancer which strikes primarily young children and which destroys their nerve endings. Children with Neuroblastoma, at least when the story began, rarely survived more than a few years and, due to the rare nature of the disease, at least the time James was diagnosed, research on Neuroblastoma was virtually non-existent. There were just too few cases to make research for a treatment commercially viable for drug companies. Susan noted that even the equipment for treating cancer is primarily designed for adults and often difficult to use with children. But little James Birrell, who was destined for a life of extreme suffering, didn’t let that slow him down. With assistance from his father Syd, he decided that he would start a fund to raise money for research. At the time James was diagnosed at the age of 4, Syd was also raising two other children and caring for his wife, Pam, who was herself was just recovering from breast cancer.

Susan described the cancer research situation and the challenges of the medical industry in a fair amount of detail and it seemed from the comments she made, that she had spent quite a lot of time directly involved with the project. I’m not sure about this so I’ll ask next time I speak with her. She told me that research done on adult cancers do not necessarily have a great bearing on treatments of childhood cancers whereas research on childhood cancers apparently has tremendous relevance to adult cancers, the difference apparently as a result of the rapid growth of cells in children. Susan commented on how funding for research is focused on the same corporate criteria of quarterly results that influence most business decisions and like so many decisions in corporate world are designed to win the tiny battles but tend to lose the war.

James was a very active child and his favorite saying was “Ya can’t let cancer ruin your day”, and so he decided to live his life that way. During the course of his fund raising efforts, he gained the attention of many celebrities including Mr. Dress-up and Fred Penner and astronaut Chris Hatfield. He also enlisted the help of an engineer, James Muit, who helped him build a soapbox car to race in soapbox derby. James took a serious spin in the final race but it was all good. You can see the clip of James’ race on W5. And James used to spend time with the cast and crew of the Kratt brothers’ program Zoboombafoo, a children’s program for which Susan is the PR agent.

James also managed to attract the attention of actor Tom Hanks, who later became a patron sponsor of the James fund. James wanted to talk to Tom Hanks because of his role in the movie Apollo 13, a movie which James loved because it was all about space and overcoming the odds, two of his favorite themes. James and his family spoke to and corresponded with Tom Hanks on many occasions and Tom Hanks sent the gift of a toy Astronaut to James.

Susan talked about the many selfless efforts of Tom Hanks in helping James to raise money and how he continues to contributes directly to the fund through dedicated acts of service. He wrote the forward to the book written by Syd Birrell, aptly named “Ya can’t let cancer ruin your day”, and dedicated his time to many events to help the fund raising effort. Among them, Hanks generously gives James Fund signed merchancise from many of his films to help in fundraising efforts, including the da Vinci movies and Cast Away, donating countless signed volleyballs for the cause. And Susan remarked that he did it always on the quiet, never in a very public way.

James died at home 7 years ago just after his 8th birthday. But he remarked prior to his passing that he would always be fighting cancer. No doubt that through the efforts of the many he inspired he always will. James left an enormous legacy of courage and contribution that few of us will match. And he still lives on in the memories of the people he touched and through the James fund which has now raised over 3 million dollars for Neuroblastoma research and through the lab at SickKids named in his memory.

His father’s book “Ya can’t let Cancer Ruin Your Day” is a collection of e-mails that were written during the course of James’ short but powerful life on this planet. The book is available nationwide in Chapters, and copies of the book were purchased by a number of philanthropists and donated to many paediatric oncology hospitals throughout North America including 17 here in Canada.

In addition to raising funds James’ case attracted the attention of leading researcher, Dr. Kaplan to work at sick kids. Dr. Kaplan’s approach was if you have a theory and some science to back you up, try it. Susan commented that Dr. Kaplan enjoyed working in the Canadian system because it fosters greater cooperation between doctors whereas the US system fosters competition.

In her own very humble style, Susan spoke very little about her own contribution, but it was clear that all of these activities were far more than just business for her. She was part of the story even though she never really said much about what she did.

The Kratt Brothers connection

Susan went on to tell of her admiration for the Kratt brothers (her clients), and the amazing work they were doing in the world. The Kratt brothers had pitched their ideas with a number of US television networks and weren’t getting very far. They were told that their program was too complex for kids. But they we persistent and not about to give up. They believed that kids had the capacity to learn more complex ideas about the world and nature than we generally acknowledged. The Kratt brothers hired Susan as their publicist and with her help they were soon spreading their message, educating kids about the environment and nature through their hit TV program Zoboombafoo. They went on to do a series on the National Geographic channel and another on PBS and they started the Kratt Brothers Creature Hero Society at the request of kids who were desperately looking for ways to help the animals they love. The first project under the KBCH Society banner was ”Grizzly Gulch”, a program to purchase a vital piece of land in Montana where the Grizzly mothers learn to take care of their young. They expect to have the necessary funds to complete the transaction by August.

I asked about the Kratt brothers and their connection to James Birrell. Susan said the Kratt brothers just wanted to connect with someone who needed them and helped out of the goodness of their heart.

And finally, a little more about Susan

Susan started out as an actor and was part of actor unions including Actra, UBCP and CAEA. She did on stage and on-screen work, but soon realized that she suffered from stage fright and it wasn’t what she wanted to do. Susan was under contract to Paragon, producers of Lamb Chop’s Play-Along. Paragon also owned HandMade, which is best known for some of its earlier works, including Time Bandits and Life of Ryan. As a reader for Paragon, she wrote the Reader’s Report for the Kratt brothers first show Kratt’s Creatures ultimately ended up as the Brand Manager for the Kratt Brothers at Paragon.  Babble On’s brand was developed while at Paragon, launching a more fully rounded roster when Paragon dissolved.

And here is where we get to the heart of Susan and why she’s so passionate about her work.

Susan made a conscious decision to work only on projects that she truly believes in. She says she’s a realist and knows that she has to pay the bills and workers, but she’s clearly not all about money and she generally finds more than enough work with companies that are serious about preserving the planet and bringing about social justice. She says she has much less interest or patience for companies that are simply trying to promote themselves as doing good without actually backing it up with action.

Susan works with her husband Mike Erskine-Kellie. Her husband Mike does creative work and Susan does the PR.

Babble On Communications has done work for SickKids, The Childhood Cancer Foundation, Make Poverty History, SoChange (a not for profit), TV Ontario and CBC. They’ve promoted documentaries and/or events with luminaries such as Stephen Lewis (about social Justice), David Suzuki and Ralph Nader.

She talked a little about “Vote out poverty”, an event which Stephen Lewis headlined, and when I asked about Stephen Lewis, she commented that “(for him) it’s not just about AIDS or any one disease, it’s about injustice. He gets the bigger picture”.

What is her biggest learning?

She said that it was all about trying to think about everything through the eyes of others, learning to look at the bigger picture, picking your battles and timing and keeping in mind how you think about the universe. She gave me the example of how she looks at others on the other side of the world and asked how can we allow people on the other side of the world to live in utmost poverty and yet not do anything about it? “What if the paradigm shifted and we were living in squalor? What would we want others to do for us?” If we know the answer to that, then we know what we should be doing to help them as well. When she talked about it, I sensed her frustration with the fact that others continue to suffer. But Susan’s a hopeful person and doesn’t dwell on the negatives.

How do we get others involved?

“Attraction, not preaching” It’s about getting others to want to do what’s right. ”If you say this is good for you and you should do it, you’ve lost the battle.” And while it’s about attraction, she also said it wasn’t about sugar coating either.

She talked about an example with the Kratt brothers. The network was telling them “You can’t use big words like predation” but the Kratt brothers insisted “kids are smarter than you think”. She recalled when one child came up at autograph session, and remarked that the brothers hadn’t been fair. They said what do mean? He said “I was having so much fun that I didn’t realize I was learning”. They try to get the right message out.

I asked how to get people to want to come to you. She said people connect to others through their own story. It comes back to thinking through the eyes of other (do they have good reasons for resisting what you’re saying)? Everyone has their own battles, paying the mortgage, food, raising their kids. You won’t know until you look at life through their eyes.

And she advised that we should get outside of our traditional comfort Zone. Spend some time twittering to the world and listening to what others are twittering about.”

Other observations about Susan

What I also noticed was the intensity of her passion for her work. And I realized at that moment that it was really all about capturing that. If you see someone with that kind of passion and love for the world, you automatically get a feeling that working towards the same thing is a source of joy and meaning and you automatically want that in your life too. You want to help out.

And it’s more than just passion. There are a lot of passionate people in the world. Some who are passionate yet self-interested and some who are passionate because their afraid of what’s going to happen if we don’t do something. Susan’s kind of passion is really contagious because she sees the positive in what others are trying, then she gets personally involved, contributing her own skills and then she tells everyone else. As she helps others to make a difference, you know that’s where she gains her own joy and contentment. She doesn’t have to tell you what it does for her, you just feel it.

Keeping out of the Muck

I asked Susan what she does to keep from getting mired in the muck and negativity of the world. She said that she keeps an open mind and recognizes that some companies and corporations throw around the right terms but don’t always show the right actions. When she sees this, she stays clear of it because she wants to make sure that she always learns something from her clients.

And she also acknowledged that once in a while she starts working with someone and gets caught finding out that their not really what they profess to be.

Philanthropy and Work

I asked her how much of her own work is philanthropic. It seemed a little hard to separate the two because it seems everything she does is for a good cause and one seemed to flow into the other. She said sometimes she gets paid for her work, sometimes not. And she said that sometimes even when she starts off doing something philanthropic, some foundation will see what she’s doing and they’ll invite her to do the same for them, and, of course, they’ll pay her for her work. But she’s realistic. She said in times like these, sometimes the money is there, other times not. “You can’t do much for the world if you’re bankrupt.”

She said she enjoys working with promising young people and that she loved to mentor them believing that they will remember her when they hit their stride. She gave an example of Brandon Schupp who was 13 and on Canada AM and in Globe and Mail from the top of the mountain that he had climbed. He was Readers Digest hero of the year. Susan remarked that she never saw someone with so much humility. And she felt so good about the fact that Brandon still comes by each year and takes her for lunch as a thank you for her help. She said that when Brandon applied for a camp counselor position, he gave her name as a reference. When the camp called her, she realized that Brandon had neglected to mention all his major accomplishments and interview with the media, focusing rather on other skills he had learned about counseling, typical of his humility.

She gave other examples of young people she worked with including Cancer survivors who went across Canada on a bike and one of whom had lost a leg to cancer and more recent work with Cloe Whittaker and Tyson Jerry of Driven to Sustain (http://driventosustain.ca) who are attempting to raise funds by setting a record for the longest journey in a vehicle driven 100% on waste vegetable oil.

She talked briefly about a Disney celebration where Disney had distributed 75 life size Mickey Mouse dolls to celebrities to dress up anyway they wanted. Tom Hanks decorated his in space uniform and held a fund raising event in honor of the James fund. She mentioned that she had gone there to support the initiative and it slipped out that she had travelled at her own expense. After telling me the story, she seemed a little embarrassed for even mentioning it and she said she didn’t like to toot her horn. That was already obvious, but I assured her it was OK for me to toot it for her.

She also said she loved to work with people who created a story out of their life and people who wouldn’t take no for an answer. And she was thankful that her organization was small enough to be able to choose who it works for.

Sustainability and Social Justice

I asked Susan about her view of Sustainability. She remarked that she’s been working in the area of sustainability for more than 12 years, long before the term became popular. Pretty much all of the causes taken on by Babble On Communications are about making a difference in the world. And Susan said she plans to continue on that way as long as she can afford to.

What’s Next for Susan?

She said the Kratt Brothers will be at Dollywood, she would be doing more fun work with sochange (www.sochange.ca) and helping the James’ fund go to an international level. Her Husband is writing a fun classic Arabian internet series to foster cultural understanding, she’s working on Spellz (PBS), and continues blogging on babbleoncom.com (they both have blogs, her husband’s is called “Sick days”), and her husband also has a web site about the character Avery Ant which is themed on Social Justice and has been selected for inclusion in Library of Congress. Avery the Ant runs for different positions including the Pope and Prime Minister of Canada. She mentioned that she had handled PR for a “quasi-spoof” site http://canadianalternative.com which was a web-site for Americans who wanted to leave US to move to Canada when President Bush got elected for the second term. She said that there were actually a lot of Americans who left the US during that period. “We forget that Canada is a country of immigrants.” She also continues to promote foundations such as the Good Neighbors Club.

At that point in the interview she was called away for a trip to New York and I still never got to learn about her direct involvement on many of these causes. What I do know for certain is that she’s incredibly well connected and she uses those connections to make a difference in the world.

I feel pretty certain I’ll be keeping in touch with Susan periodically and I’ll do an update next time I talk to her.

I thank Susan for her time, her passion and her dedication for promoting good and seeing the best in people. She’s an inspiring person.

Till next time,

Garth Schmalenberg

Web:http://www.hbi-leadership.com
Twitter: @gschmalenberg

My recent ventures took be the the annual meeting of the CBBF (Canadian Baha’i Business Forum) where I was previously honoured with the opportunity to serve as a member of the board. The CBBF is an organization which promotes the principles of:

• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Sustainable Development
• Gender Equality in the work place
• Value Based Leadership
• Ethical business practices
• Consultative Decision making
• A New paradigm of work

One of our invited speakers for the CBBF Annual conference was David Patterson, CEO of Northwater Capital Management, an asset management organization with $8.5 Billion under management which specializes in handling large investments such as pensions and utilizes it’s “market neutral fund of hedge funds”.

The conference theme was “Doing Well by Doing Good: an application of Values Based Leadership”.

David was understated and yet inspirational in his presentation and shared a number of concepts that were divergent from standard organizational theory.

He shared the notion that doing good for the whole system (world, community, organization and family) rather than self focus was strongly encouraged in his organization. The fundamentals of his approach – what’s good for the system is good for the individuals in the system and not necessarily the other way around. While it is difficult to accurately articulate his presentation, as much of it was supported by images of the Northwater working environment and it’s employees participating in world supporting and family events, he also based his assumption and methods on the success that his organization has acheived by using this approach.

In addition to the support of world and community, the company encourages open consultation through the elimantion of status based work spaces, even David has the same desk as other employees, and they frequently call random members into consultations to get alternate points of view.

David’s talk should be one of those talks presented at the TED conference where new and inspirational ideas are presented in many fields of endeavor. There are many companies that could benefit from his leadership model.

Garth Schmalenberg
Executive / Relationship Coach