'Lack of Self-Interest' Makes a Better Organization

November 06, 2024 | Richard Todd

Pat Lencioni, bestselling author and well-regarded management consultant, stresses the importance of culture in an organization. He states, “leaders have to realize that [culture] is more important than finance or strategy, or operating, or technology. It’s the context for business.”

Famous novelist Ayn Rand, the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, said that by having a focus on “self-interest,” a person will flourish and achieve happiness. With all due respect to Rand, we don’t believe that. Rather, the culture of “lack of self-interest” – selfless dedication to our clients, friends, and each other fosters success and allows people to flourish. This is the essence of a Christian culture.

There are a number of elements to a Christian culture.

Structure

  • A flat organizational hierarchy will create an environment where professionals are empowered and motivated by responsibility. Productivity increases when people are more involved in the decision-making process.

  • A team-based environment creates ideal outcomes because professionals come together with complementary expertise, experiences, and personalities. Lencioni’s “Working Genius” assessment can help understand strengths and weaknesses.

Values

  • Hard Work, Honesty & Integrity, and Dedication to the Client are our formal core values. Core values should be integral to hiring, fertilizing, promoting, and terminating decisions.

  • Tithing should be an important budgeting item each year. Budget your tithe from the top line and support those that need help. Form a formal philanthropic mission. Ours is education for those on the margin.

  • Volunteering in the community is important to a Christian culture. Gather to paint houses, pack medical supplies, plant flowers, and feed the poor. Our employees occupy dozens of board seats for non-profits.  

  • An integrated life is stressed-linking Sundays and Mondays. A Christian’s life cannot be turned off at work. You should see crosses, bibles, and rosaries prominent in offices.

Practice

  • Deliver excellent, consistent products and services to clients.

  • A relationship focus with an emphasis on problem-solving is the best way to create and build relationships. The “gift of self,” expecting nothing in return will create a life-long bond.

  • Continually emphasize that we are caretakers. Our clients, professionals, and community are all part of God’s Kingdom, and we are responsible for its flourishing and the fulfillment of God’s will.

  • Excellence is an expectation that should permeate throughout the organization. God expects excellence. Of course we make mistakes, but we understand that pruning bushes will create better fruit.

In the beginning, we took culture for granted but defined it and built a plan around it, and consequently, our firm flourished when we became committed to a Christian culture. God is good!

 

Richard Todd is CEO and co-founder of Innovest Portfolio Solutions, which provides investment consulting services to faith-based organizations. He has almost 40 years of experience in investment consulting and currently provides consulting services to institutions and families. Innovest has over 300 clients with assets under advisement of $45 billion and 60 employees. Rich has been a frequent author on fiduciary and investment related matters. He has been a columnist for the Denver Business Journal and his thoughts have been published in Financial Advisor Magazine, US Christian Chamber of Commerce Blog, Legatus Magazine, Family Office Magazine, Chief Executive, Accounting Today, Catholic News Agency, Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Pensions & Investments, PLANSPONSOR, and Christian Leadership Alliance Blog, among others. Rich has been a guest lecturer at conferences across the nation and can be contacted at rtodd@innovestinc.com.

More information on Innovest can be found at www.Innovestinc.com.