Changing Business From the Inside Out

The Austin Professional Chapter of Net Impact hosted a dinner discussion with Tim Mohin on Thursday evening.  Twelve of us dined at Buenos Aires Cafe and enjoyed each other's company while getting to chat with Tim about his experiences in the world of corporate social responsibility.   

Tim is the author of Changing Business From the Inside Out.  I really enjoyed reading his book and thought it was very well written and was an easy, enjoyable read.  I've just posted an Amazon book review.

Through reading the book, I gained an appreciation for how much the really large companies, like Apple and Walmart, have an impact in raising the standards for people beyond our borders.  Their market power has the very real potential to make factories in other countries change their labor practices, working conditions, and environmental impacts. 

It was so encouraging to meet professional men and women who are redefining conventional careers.  In several cases, they had left well-respected, high-paying jobs to pursue opportunities that will allow them to have a more direct positive impact on the people, companies, and communities they serve.  

So inspiring! J

Some of my favorite take-aways from the Book:

"All great leaders started from lower-level positions and discovered ways to leverage their capabilities to add value to their organization."

(14)

"The keys are to have the desire to learn and grow, the humility to be less informed than others, and above all the passion for your cause."

(31)

"The key to success as a corporate treehugger is to nurture the flames of your passion even when the inertia of company bureaucracy douses it with cold water."

(41)

"Effective managers are always looking for that next increment of improvement, the innovative ways to define leadership best practices.  In other words, corporate responsibility is a journey, not a destination."

(82)