What's YOUR Bottom Line?

"It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing." Mother Teresa Business owners are trained to gauge the success of their business according to the health of their "bottom line" - that is - the last line on a profit and loss statement that tells you what remains (if anything) after all your costs of doing business. This makes perfect sense - if you don't show a profit, you don't stay in business.

But, I'm interested in what - beyond the traditional bottom line - keeps you motivated and creates that deeper and more sustaining measure of success I believe we are all seeking?

I came across a brilliant and inspiring concept this week from Tami Simon, founder of Sounds True, one of the largest publishers of spoken word spiritual teaching products that answers this very question. Tami offers a more inclusive and elegant way to relate to the idea of bottom line driven success. It has to do with creating "multiple bottom lines". In other words, a purpose-driven AND profit-driven, business that honors the values you hold dear and wish to incorporate into your way of doing business.

"Multiple bottom lines" arose as Tami pondered a few simple but powerful questions: "How can our processes as a business reflect our products? How can spirituality be translated into organizational life? How can we form a workplace where employees can have balanced lifestyles, and can continue to evolve as human beings? How can we create an atmosphere of genuine love, a real community in which people want to participate? And how can all of this translate into profit, the "oxygen" so vitally needed to put these ideals into action?"

Here are Tami's four multiple bottom lines:

1. Your business does something that matters in the world. This is primary. Having a sense of purpose underlying the reason you're in business makes all the difference - not only as inspiration to keep you going, but more importantly, it's fulfills a basic human need to know you're making a contribution.

2. You (and your employees) are evolving by being involved in your business. It's critical that personal growth and development be nurtured and not stunted by business. What you need for growth can be defined individually and has to do with valuing life balance in the workplace. Do you take time to meditate or go for a run as part of your work day? Do your employees feel relaxed and respected on the job while remaining productive and responsible?

3. Your work environment is a positive community where everyone wants to participate. Do people enjoy each other and add to the quality of life? You spend a significant amount of your total life hours at work. How do you feel about the people around you and how do your employees feel about each other? This makes all the difference in the world when you're deciding to get out of bed in the morning. Also, quality community fosters participation, teamwork and engagement.

4. You must have profit - the oxygen that makes the engine go. If you're not profitable, you're out of business. Profit as a concept is a nice thing, but when you connect to reality - what you DO with the profit - holds tremendous power for motivation. Will you use your profits to buy new equipment, give raises, or institute additional benefits? Ultimately it's profit that makes all the other bottom lines possible.

Begin to translate and implement what's important to you into your business life. I find the concept of multiple bottom lines very inspiring - it's adaptable, flexible, and can be based on YOUR individual values. Can you see how adopting the idea of multiple bottom lines can raise satisfaction and fulfillment in the workplace, reduce stress and build a company to be truly proud of?

It's YOUR life...imagine the possibilities!



What's YOUR Bottom Line? - To learn more about this author, visit Helaine Iris's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

E-Mail | Print | More

Related Articles
For Good SEO You Must Go Back To Basics
	As a search marketer I listen to many SEO podcasts and read many articles about SEO and organic rankings and whats "HOT" and whats "NOT" and many people claiming to know whats popular with Google and the search engi...
How do you create corporate values?
	How should the corporate values be created? Where do they come from? Can the brands a company has have their own values? Can these extend the corporate core values? Where do the brand values come from?...
100 Ways to Succeed #93
	Bottom Line
What's YOUR Bottom Line?
	"It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing." Mother Teresa Business owners are trained to gauge the success of their business according to the health of their "bottom line" - that is - the ...
Lesson #5: Everything Has a Bottom Line
	He is everything from a political advisor to the highest ranking Mexican officials, to a devout family man, but Helu would be the first one to tell you that first and foremost, he is an entrepreneur. It is through t...

---

Related Forum Posts
	Re: Hello from a San Diego-based marketer
	Re: New, young entrepreneur
	Re: Teen Investors
	Site after-posting problems?
	profit line
	Re: Teen Investors
	Maybe We Can't Beat Them
	Re: Do you read self-help books?