Raj Sisodia on Conscious Capitalism in the age of Trump
In our April xChange Paul Skinner interviewed Raj Sisodia to explore the role of Conscious Capitalism and conscious marketing in the age of Trump.
The discussion started with the chaos and cruelty of the Trump presidency and quickly moved on to how Conscious Capitalism and conscious marketing can provide an antidote.
Raj cited Sam Harris saying that bad ideas can be more dangerous than bad people and when they catch on can cause havoc.
We covered how economic and business theories become self fulfilling as business students change their language, behaviour and world view according to what they are studying.
We discussed the shame of a marketing based only on perception and persuasion, as reflected in the phrase: ‘It's not real, that's just marketing'.
We explored the higher purpose marketing can better serve and the need to understand the real underlying needs, the things that people might not even know about themselves, and find a way to meet those needs. And Raj said that we may need to come up with a better name for marketing, like the 'human resources' department should be called the 'people' department.
Raj shared his 4 As of marketing as an alternative to the 4 Ps:
1) Acceptability
2) Affordability
3) Accessibility
4) Awareness
We also explored the 4 principles of Conscious Capitalism and how when you are able to accomplish all 4, they are synergistic:
1) Higher purpose - your reason why beyond profit
2) Stakeholder orientation - making decisions that benefit all
3) Conscious leadership - guiding their team towards shared values
4) Conscious culture - valuing transparency, collaboration and well being
Raj explained that the consciousness of the leader is the starting point. And he gave examples of great leaders such as James Sinegal founder of Costco, Satya Nadella CEO at Microsoft and his friend and co-author John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods.
Raj reminded us that when we have stakeholders who are invested in our organisations emotionally then they all become marketers for us. Raj said our businesses have to be good for the individual, good for the group and good for the planet. In biology it's called multilevel selection. There can't just be a good business case. There has to also be a societal case, a planetary case, and a human case.
We explord how to elevate the right leaders in business, the people who have both strength and love. They may not be the people who are putting themselves forwards.
Raj is the author of 15 books including Awaken, Shakti Leadership, The Healing Organization, Conscious Capitalism, Everybody Matters, Firms of Endearment and The 4 A's of Marketing.
Raj is a founding member of the Conscious Capitalism movement, FEMSA Distinguished University Professor of Conscious Enterprise and Chairman of the Conscious Enterprise Center at Tecnologico de Monterrey and Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Conscious Capitalism Inc.
Watch or listen to the full replay below.