Quaker Business Conference 2009 – Looking at Success
How can Quaker principles be applied in the business world?
What is success these days for Quakers in the business world? Over forty-five Friendly business people (seventy-five per cent in membership, twenty-five per cent in sympathy, with a further twenty-five people prevented) met on an evening and throughout the following day, for Quaker Business Conference 2009 to work this year’s theme – Looking at Success. We worked both informally and formally in full session, to deepen friendships and make new ones.
William Heath, Quaker and entrepreneur, laid out his three tests for business success: Is it viable, useful, productive, creative, profitable? Does it feel right for me, for the team: is it in our voice? Is it effective, does it make a difference in doing what I care passionately about? Then Ian Cook, Quaker, accountant, Isle of Man tax advisor and wealth manager explored the need for well-founded, high ethical standards in a fallen world. How can one be sure one is doing good when working in circumstances riddled with ambiguity? Through six workshops, participants at the conference had us looking critically at our own practice: each of us could find exciting ideas to take home and try. Living ethically in a complex world is a continual matter of compromise, working from love, seeking the Light and learning from experience, wherever it is found. The Quaker business method worked well, in its highly participative, deeply thoughtful, loving way. We asked: how can we, as owners and managers, develop clearness and organisational focus leading us to financial success – living our principles? We know our ethical approach works in business terms, and we trust the spiritual roots it springs from.
The atmosphere going into the conference was clouded by acute disappointment in many of society’s institutions, fiduciaries and highly paid professionals. Closing ministry showed inspiringly our view of Friends’ contributions to clearness, truth and ethics in the current economic and ethical turmoil. We are blessed with an opportunity to bring leadership. We go out into the world to do so.
Comments
As someone who teaches Busines Ethics and History at University I would be interested in finding out more about Quaker principles in business. Could someone advise me on how to go about this? Many thanks Edward
By Edward on 9th December 2009 - 18:57
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