Eight Principles

The Eight Principles are not rules or steps.  It is not a formula.  Too often we look for formulas.  There are none.  These are not things we install or destinations at which we arrive and then we are done.  These are qualities and principles we both possess in a growing way and exercise by choice.  The principles aren’t of much use if unaccompanied by the choice to exercise them. They work together as a cohesive whole to create something unique and wonderful and different in each of our lives.  Business, to be sure, is profoundly impacted by these “principles”.   The adventure in it all is the opportunity we have almost daily to creatively choose to exercise one, two or all of these principles into real life and business.  It’s the growing presence of these in our lives that matters.  It’s not ‘how much’ as if they can be quantified or in ‘what order’ as if they are hierarchical.  They work in concert with one another over time making something all can observe as we consistently and creatively choose to employ them; relationships are enriched, businesses grow and nations prosper.

One may consider these to be Eight Principles of a Relationship Based Business Model. I am not suggesting there are only eight. There are many, to be sure. These are simply those I have identified for our purposes here. No matter what we do we have to start somewhere and this is a start. The Judeo-Christian worldview is the ‘shape’ of reality. I am using the word ‘shape’ as a metaphor for how things work in life, or for how things are defined. Things work a certain way because that’s how things are made to work. Treating other people the way we want or like to be treated ( The principle of reciprocity) works in life because that’s how things were created to work. This is a universal principle and it works because it’s the ‘shape’ of reality. It works whether one is atheist, Christian or apathetic and it does so for the same reason gravity works. It’s how things are made to work. Like gravity, the principles work because they are part and parcel of the ‘shape’ of reality. The truth of the principles resonates with human beings because we are made in the image of the Shape-maker.

The book SHAPE, The Business of a Meaningful Life, by Jesse L. James contains a more thorough treatment of the Principles.

SHAPE can be purchased in hardcover or Kindle version on Amazon.com