Ben,
You wrote, "Earlier this week, in a management training seminar, I used
this example in a break-out session. Whew! I'm still pulling the knives
out of my chest! People went nuts on me. 'If organizations don't exist to
make money, then what the hell do they exist for'? one participant
screamed."
I am a member of several organizations that exist for reasons other than
making money. One is a group of software development managers who get
together every year for learning and love and support. Another is a group
of consultants who get together every year for learning and love and
support. A third is a rock and roll band that gets together to play for
several local benefits every year. And then there's the Learning Org list.
Then there's my consulting business, whose purpose is to help people
(especially me!) enjoy more satisfaction and meaning in their work. I
don't mind making money, but my goal is to enjoy myself and my work and
the people I meet in as many ways as I can.
I'll bet most of the screaming participants at that seminar are part of at
least one organization that exists for something other than making money.
I'm guessing you were surprised and temporarily knocked off balance by
their reaction -- otherwise you would have thought of lots of ways to
answer their question, perhaps by asking *them* to answer it.
Dale
--Dale H. Emery | 27 Tall Pine Road Consultant | Berwick, ME 03901 Relationship and Communication | (207) 698-1650 For Successful Organizations | 72704.1550@compuserve.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>