I was recently listening to a speech by Chip Conley, who talks about measuring the right things. He is a business man and successful owner of Joie de Vivre hotels. Conley wrote a book recently that talks about the various needs a business can fulfill besides the basic needs of survival. He wants to make sure that work and business supports a sense of fulfillment. Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow.
Conley talks about the fact that in business, managers measure progress by certain parameters, none of which have anything to do with happiness, fulfillment, transformation. It is a beautiful speech, and I think that the implications are broader than he suggests.
We live in a time of an economic decline. It is clear that the government has no intention to push another bailout. We also have an economy that relies on consumption. In the past 15 years the economy has been floating on bubbles. First it was the technology bubble and then the housing bubble. They both burst.
Since the recession of 2008 economists and politicians have been talking about a recovery. I have no idea what they are talking about. I hope they are not waiting for the next bubble. Nobody has been able to predict them.
We are looking towards a reduction in living standards for a long time to come. But when I say “reduction in living standards” I am referring to those standards that we have measurements for. GDP, average income, consumption, housing prices, and other such measurements.
What we don’t measure provides real value for our lives. That is why Chip Conley’s message is so important. He suggests that we can measure what is truly important. What makes you happy? Instead of sitting around the proverbial kitchen table and discuss income and bills, what could you discuss that makes you happy?
When I think about happiness I am always reminded of Eve Ensler’s statement that happiness is giving what we most most want to receive. And usually, what we most want to receive has very little to do with measurable economic matter.
That is what I will be thinking about in the coming week. How do I and can I measure what truly matters. Of course, I have to re-acquaint myself with what really matters to me.
You can see Chip’s speech here. Watch him talk about Robert Kennedy, the king of Bhuttan, and Einstein.
Snarly comment alert.
As a toastmaster, I am thrown off by Conley use of the word actually. If you didn’t catch it, watch the speech again, and you will realize how throwing around meaningless words distracts from the message.
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