Become a Changemaker

This semester is soon to be ending. It is interesting to me to look back at what I have learned and to some how much I have grown from studying the life and accomplishments of great men and women. I always look forward to studying the counsel of the brethren. I specially appreciated Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talk given in the October 2014 General Conference “Are We Not All Beggars?”. Elder Holland highlighted noted that the Savior’s first and foremost messianic duty would be to bless the poor, including the poor on spirt. that poverty ‘has been of humankind’s greatest and most widespread challenges. “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker” Proverbs 14: 31. The Lord challenged us, Elder Holland stated, “to look to the poor and needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer.” We should take merciful action in their behalf and pray for those in need. Elder Holland further reminded us that although “I may not be my brother’s keeper, I am my brother’s brother, and because I have been given much, I too must give.” (Because I have Been Given Much, Hymn 219).

  

Another article that stuck out to me was “Make It Personal and Make It Work” by Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook.  She spoke on effective leadership containing a vision that will scale over time, place, and product line. Sheryl commented on how Google’s mission had a compelling vision on achieving that mission. And that mission was to take the world’s information and make it universally useful and accessible.  Also, Facebook had a vision on how to get there is really, really important. Facebook was trying to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. “So for both of these companies, they had visions that scaled. And those visions are usually stated in mission statements, they can be or they cannot be”.

  

Larry Brilliant’s article on “A New Breed of Entrepreneur” discusses the global unity and concentrated effort strives to accomplish in other areas, the virus was eradicated; thanks, in equal parts, to scientific discovery and philanthropic will. Brilliant highlighted that in lieu of the great accomplishments that conquer and discovered killer diseases like smallpox, polio, and malaria, they took will and unity of the humankind.

  

Through another great article titled “Microlending: Toward a Poverty-Free World” by Muhammad Yunus, it discusses that by trusting small, impoverish borrowers, Yunus found a way to bridge the gap between economic theory and human reality. Yunus discovered that there was a missive gap between real life of the poor and the hungry people and the make-believe world of economic theory. It was interesting to learn Yunus’ findings that “Economics has reduced human beings to lesser beings than what they are, and consequently still lesser beings that what they could be.” Yunus found that Economics treated entrepreneurs as royalty in economic. This research indicated that all non-entrepreneurs are beings born to serve under entrepreneurs. Having said this, “all than an individual need is an opportunity, … then the world would pay attention to creating those opportunities.” Another critical finding in Yunus’s research is that “credit plays such an important role in the lives of poor people.” Yunus reminded the audience: “irrespective of what you learn in school, always be ready to unlearn and relearn.” “Don’t give up dreaming. Be a dreamer. And keep on trying to make the dream come true. If we all dream about a better world, I can guarantee you that we will create a better world.”

The following questions and answers are based on the Harvard Business Review’s “What’s a Business For? By Charles Handy.

1.       Based on what you read in the first two pages (pages 3 and 4), why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy?

Based on the article trust and virtue appear to be fading out from the business world. There are too many scandals that are related to our economy. “To may, it seems that executives no longer run their companies for the benefit of consumers, or even of their shareholders and employees, but for their personal ambition and financial gain.” People do not trust those business leaders who run big companies anymore. Hardy states that once truth and trust are gone, our economy becomes so unreliable “that no one wants to play in the game.” Therefore, I believe that virtue and integrity are critical to our economy.

2.       According to Charles Handy, what is the “real justification” for the existence of businesses?

Handy explains that the purpose of a business is not to make a profit/ “It is to make a profit so that the business can do something more or better.”

3.   What are two solutions proposed by Handy that you agree with? Why?

  

-      I believe one solution is that companies should focus more on their human resource capital based on their needs, skills, and talents. Companies will see greater productivity and job retention.

I believe the other solution discussed in this article refers to when creating new products, technology, improving services in order to make products that are good things in life and are priced competitive with other products. When companies realize this they will be profiting from the poor and rich.