To a foot soldier for transformation, Josh Mailman, who has taught me that the true measure of a leader's success is in the lives touched
第2章 Letter from the Editor of the Social Venture Network Series
Business can be beautiful.
If any overarching theme characterizes the books in this series, that's it. And the notion that starting or running a business can be a joyful experience emerges more clearly than ever in this inspiring book by Mark Albion.
Mark's topic is leadership, one of the most fundamental aspects of any organization—and perhaps the most basic of all. It's no coincidence that academic observers of the world of business have noted a strong correlation between a company's financial performance and its adoption of socially responsible business policies and practices. The explanation they offer? That what distinguishes these companies is superior leadership. Their enlightened policies and practices reflect a leader's deeper, more sensitive understanding of the marketplace and the world in which we all live and work. They make a business run better.
Few people anywhere could tackle the theme of leadership in business with more authority or grace than Mark Albion. Mark has approached business from almost every conceivable angle—as an employee, a serial entrepreneur, a consultant, a cofounder and adviser (Net Impact, formerly Students for Responsible Business), a professor (Harvard Business School), and a bestselling author (Making a Life, Making a Living?: Reclaiming Your Purpose and Passion in Business and in Life).
Other notable authors have treated the subject of business leadership in general. Some have made extraordinary contributions to our understanding of the topic and how we may internalize the lessons they've learned through painful experience. But no one previously has addressed the special challenges, and the special rewards, of running a company dedicated to the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. That's Mark Albion's turf.
Mark has been one of the leading lights of Social Venture Network for many years. I'm proud to have known and learned from him through all that time. As you make your way through the pages of this book, you'll learn, too. I'm sure of it.
MAL WARWICK
Berkeley, California
May 2006
