© 1993 Larry Mullins
© 1993 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
| Some Human Sources of The Urantia Book | Spring 1993 — Index | Significant Books: The Mind of God by Paul Davies |
Less spectacular than the collapse of Communism, but equally significant, is the evolution of American business toward the service motive. In the last decade, the twin sacred cows of profit and power have been slowly losing primacy to higher ideals.
In enlightened companies, profit is no longer pursued as a sole business objective. In such companies profit is recognized as a side effect of superlative customer service. Power is less coveted and is being “pushed down” to lower levels in an effort to flatten out the organizational structures of companies and institutions.
Twenty-five years ago, when I was a young advertising executive, the admonition made on 71:6.1 of The Urantia Book seemed impossibly optimistic:
Present-day profit-motivated economics is doomed unless profit motives can be augmented by service motives. Ruthless competition based on narrow-minded self-interest is ultimately destructive of even those things which it seeks to maintain. Exclusive and selfserving profit motivation is incompatible with Christian ideals-much more incompatible with the teachings of Jesus. In economics, profit motivation is to service motivation what fear is to love in religion. UB 71:6.1
The purpose of this article is to document some of the sweeping changes that are surging through American businesses, organizations, and institutions. My premise is that these transformations are evidence of the accuracy of The Urantia Book’s prediction about the evolution of the service motive. More than this, I seek to show that some of the principles of Jesus are being broadly applied by enlightened businesses.
Though The Urantia Book admonition quoted above struck me as almost Pollyannaish when I first read it, I no longer feel that way.
These principles are generally used for their pragmatic value. The ideals are not ordinarily attributed to Jesus by those who use them; few are aware that Jesus originated many of them. But the principles are clearly Jesusonian. Though The Urantia Book admonition quoted above struck me as almost Pollyannaish when I first read it, I no longer feel that way. I have since met business leaders who openly declare that their most valuable assets are their people, and who vigorously promote customer service. I have read of many twentieth century business people who practiced, as well as preached, Jesusonian principles. One such business person was Arthur Nash, whose book about his methods, The Golden Rule in Business, was published in 1923.
We are told in The Urantia Book that existing human concepts were used, whenever they were available, in its formulation. In my judgment The Golden Rule in Business is possibly one of the human source documents consulted by the celestial intelligences who transmitted the Urantia Papers. Aside from the general spiritual fragrance of The Golden Rule in Business, there are also to be found some impressive insights — insights that are expressed in similar terms in The Urantia Book.
“…what all the writers, who were so eagerly rushing into print were attacking and finding fault with was not Christianity at all, but the lack of it! Christianity had not failed, simply because Christianity had not yet been tried!”
In his book Arthur Nash wrote of his concern about the large amount of contemporary literature supporting the opinion that Christianity had failed. He tells of his quest to discover whether or not this view was true. On page 63 of The Golden Rule in Business he wrote:
I went down to the library — any number of articles were current at the time purporting to show that Christianity was an errant failure — and began to read up. And my reading soon brought me to see one great, stark, outstanding fact: That what all the writers, who were so eagerly rushing into print were attacking and finding fault with was not Christianity at all, but the lack of it! Christianity had not failed, simply because Christianity had not yet been tried!.. In the individual life of many a saint of God it had been tried, and never once, when earnestly and sincerely tried, been found to fail. But of adoption in any national, or, so far as the Christian Church was concerned, universal sense, there had been none.
Nash went on to say that the phrase: “Christianity had not failed, simply because Christianity had not yet been tried!” had been borrowed from him by several writers during World War I. Now compare his quote with this excerpt from 154:4.6 of The Urantia Book:
Many intelligent and well-meaning men, even in the more enlightened age of these revelations, maintain that modern civilization could not have been built upon the teachings of Jesus — and they are partially right. But all such doubters forget that a much better civilization could have been built upon his teachings, and sometime will be. This world has never seriously tried to carry out the teachings of Jesus on a large scale, notwithstanding that halfhearted attempts have often been made to follow the doctrines of so-called Christianity. UB 154:4.6
Arthur Nash acquired a Cincinnati clothing business in 1916, just as America was becoming involved in World War I. Nash soon realized that in order to continue in the business he would have to persist in paying the grossly unfair “sweat shop” wages that had been established in the clothing industry. After much soul searching he elected to liquidate the business. Then he made a remarkable decision.
Nash decided to raise the pay of all his employees to reasonable levels for the short period of time that the business could stay afloat. In a meeting with the workers he announced his decision. The astounded employees were given increases from 20% to as much as 300% !
As weeks passed Nash became aware that sales were increasing, but he lost interest in carefully monitoring the business. He believed his dream of financial independence was being eroded away as he paid wages far above his competitors. After a few months he decided to check his company’s finances. To his astonishment he was making record profits. Sales and production were nearly three times the previous levels!
Nash investigated. He discovered that his workers had responded to their wage increases by exerting superlative efforts and dramatically improving their performances.
There is a great deal more to the story than I can relate here. Briefly though, driven by his strong Christian values, Nash also improved the working environment. He insisted that no overtime be worked, and that workers’ families be given priority over the business. He arrived at work before any of his employees, and usually stayed later.
Nash’s success continued in the face of a post-war business turn-down. In 1920, clothing businesses and mills were closing down all over America; in textile orders were canceled in that year. Yet Nash tripled his gross sales over the year before. By 1922 his company again doubled its volume!
In his book Nash urged his methods be adopted by all businesses, declaring that humanity must turn to Jesus to survive. He summed up the success of his Jesusonian techniques with the statement: “…in the philosophy of Jesus, and in that philosophy alone, is centered the hope of the world. Remember, I am not talking about the fifty-seven varieties of philosophy about him, I am talking about his philosophy, and therein lies all the difference.”
The Urantia Book expands upon a similar concept on 195:10.1:
Christianity has indeed done a great service for this world, but what is now most needed is Jesus. The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men… Modern culture must become spiritually baptized with a new revelation of Jesus’ life and illuminated with a new understanding of his gospel… And when Jesus becomes thus lifted up, he will draw all men to himself. UB 195:10.1
Nash is exemplary of a few exceptional business persons. There have not been an abundance of business people who would dare to actually apply the philosophy of Jesus as practical economics. And today, as in Nash’s day, leaders are rare who will openly testify to their Christian faith as a pragmatic business touchstone.
…the climate is changing. A new philosophy of service-very much Jesusonian in its tone-is becoming the way to do business in the final decade of the twentieth century.
Even so, the climate is changing. A new philosophy of service —very much Jesusonian in its tone— is becoming the way to do business in the final decade of the twentieth century. The Golden Rule is being paraphrased into common buzz-word clusters such as: “Treat all employees as you want them to treat our customers,” and “Treat the next operation as the customer.” (The next operation may mean the one downstream in the production line, or the next person to whom paperwork is given.)
A new concept called “Total Quality” refers to customer driven products — painstakingly designed and built with the customer’s needs and convenience — not profit — as the primary goal of manufacturing. Concepts such as: “Drive out fear,” and “End the practice of awarding business to vendors on the basis of price alone” are honored by enlightened companies such as Ford, Honeywell, Xerox, and many others.
This trend is not a fad. Popular business books are driving home that prophetic admonition of The Urantia Book and are clearly warning that profit-driven economics must be modulated by service motives:
A customer service crises is building throughout the business world, and most managers don’t know it. Even those who do seldom understand how to cope. The price of their ignorance is high: by the 1990’s thousands of businesses will be shaken and even shattered by their inability to render effective customer service. The spoils will go to those few companies that perceive this and learn how to out-service their competitors. [1]
The primary motive is still focused more upon profit than service. But even so, as greater economic discretion and power are exercised by consumers, adjustments are being forced upon businesses. There is a greater understanding of the need for excellent and timely customer service. Parts of the philosophy of Jesus are making slow, but important, inroads into business as viable management tools.
Tough, practical management consultants are urging clients to adopt service-driven policies. Read this excerpt from Competing Against Time, a book praised by several esteemed board chairmen, including Chairmen of the Board of Ford Motor Company, Apple Computer, Federal Express, and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce:
Management is faced with three choices when responding to demanding customers: 1) Fight customers by making them accept standard performance, product or service… 2) Insulate its organization from customers by building mounds of inventory and getting them to do a lot of their own work… 3) Embrace them and make sure they are more satisfied with the service provided than they could have ever imagined.
Competing Against Time was written by George Stalk, Jr. and Thomas M. Hout, two savvy business consultants to Fortune 500 companies. They selected number three (from the above options) as the only economically wise choice for a business that wants to survive. The writers define this option as superlative customer service. They emphasize the economic urgency of customer service as only a starting point — as table stakes — to insure business survival today. Stalk and Hout then focus upon the pragmatic strategy of satisfying the hardest to please customers:
The most attractive customers are often the most difficult to satisfy…If you can satisfy them they will be reluctant to take their business elsewhere. They become dependent, and dependency can be profitable.
One could argue that such motivations are plainly selfish, and not service in its purest form. But The Urantia Book declares the service motive must augment the profit motive not supplant it.
One could argue that such motivations are plainly selfish, and not service in its purest form. But The Urantia Book declares the service motive must augment the profit motive not supplant it. The Urantia Book also cautions against a precipitous abandonment of profit-motivated economics:
The profit motive of economic activities is altogether base and wholly unworthy of an advanced order of society; nevertheless, it is an indispensable factor throughout the earlier phases of civilization. Profit motivation must not be taken away from men until they have firmly possessed themselves of superior types of nonprofit motives for economic striving and social serving — the transcendent urges of superlative wisdom, intriguing brotherhood, and excellency of spiritual attainment. (UB 71:6.3)
The bankruptcy and disintegration of Communism took us by surprise. In a less sensational way, the long honored gods of power and profit are being modulated to secondary status by wise business leaders. Some of the most profitable organizations today are afire with an almost fanatic dedication to superb customer service.
The trend to provide customers with faster and more satisfying service has forced organizational changes. Many businesses and organizations are “flattening out” their structures. No longer is the ponderous, classic management pyramid of power sacred; it responds too slowly to fill the needs of customers. In more enlightened companies, employees are exercising much more authority and power. Decisions to satisfy a customer problem are made on the spot, rather than waiting for an authorization from some manager who may not be available at the critical moment of customer need.
I must say, from a lay perspective, that the organizational structures of most organized religions lag behind progressive businesses.
New management structures require additional skills from managers. Possessing less actual power, their new role is to empower their subordinates. The old male archetype of tough, ruthless, infallible strength is obsolete. Managers are expected to be up-beat team leaders and coaches. They are still responsible to set goals for the team, but team leaders must also empower, support, serve, and inspire team players.
Organizations are now scrambling to train managers in new empowerment skills. A few of the techniques being learned are: Active Listening, Win/Win Problem Resolution, Motivation through Empowerment Techniques, Team Building, Team Playing, and many other hard to master interpersonal skills.
The image of authority figures is changing. Advanced public service organizations are training employees to regard the people they serve as valued customers. Police officers are cautioned to no longer see themselves in terms of: “I came, I saw, I conquered,” but rather, “I came, I analyzed, I served the customer.”
Progressive clergy have introduced concepts like Servant Leadership [2] and talk less of feeding the flock than serving the flock. I must say, from a lay perspective, that the organizational structures of most organized religions lag behind progressive businesses. Most are still patriarchal and authoritarian. But some churches are moving toward important change. Presbyterians are modifying their sixteenth century management structure-a model that has been copied by many organizations. It is being changed, at last, to a more participative, representative, and teamoriented pattern. People are openly acknowledged by many organizations as their most important resources.
In The Urantia Book the process of empowerment is often depicted as a requisite in the ministry of Jesus. From 159:3.3 (Jesus is speaking):
It is the purpose of this gospel to restore self-respect to those who have lost it and to restrain it in those who have it… Forget not that I will stop at nothing to restore selfrespect to those who have lost it, and who really desire to regain it. UB 159:3.3
The concept of empowerment through self-esteem enhancement is being adopted and urgently taught by leaders who are influential and respected in the business world. Note this comment from the pages of Horizontal Management [3] :
There is only one thing that counts in business — building the self-respect of your employees. Nothing else matters, because what they feel about themselves is what they give to their customers. [4]
There is a change in the ruthless old attitude toward employees as commodities — to use and put back into the market when an organization is through with them. People won’t accept that anymore. Respect for employees as the organization’s most valuable assets is the requisite step for modern management success.
There is a change in the ruthless old attitude toward employees as commodities… Respect for employees as the organization’s most valuable assets is the requisite step for modern management success.
Fear is no longer a reliable method to motivate human beings. Enlightened leaders know: Associates are best inspired by the vision and values of the organization. People can no longer be pushed. They must be allured and pulled along by the power of high-minded values — reality-values such as truth, beauty, and goodness.
The “V” word is now a common topic in business; “values” are openly discussed, perhaps not with precise philosophical understanding or lofty motives, but certainly with impressive concern.
A feature article in Newsweek (June 8, 1992) expressed this growing recognition and respect for high values. The article was flawed by poor graphics, and had a misleading title: “Whose Values? Whose Justice? Whose Morality? Whose Community? Whose Family?” Yet, in spite of the distracting editorial treatment, the writer (Joe Klein), got a healthy message through and concluded with this uplifting statement:
The big ideas about values are the oldest and the simplest. ‘A few weeks ago my wife got a flyer from a book club that promised: NO RISK, NO COMMITMENTS,’ says New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley. ‘Not a bad deal, but you can miss a lot in life by not taking risks or making commitments. There is the idea that the only way to achieve real happiness is in the service of others.’ Now there’s a thought; an old, simple, ever elusive goal, a principle all the great religions have in common. Perhaps it isn’t a coincidence.
It is time for business consultants to dust off and study the “old-fashioned” philosophical values honored by Plato and Aristotle: Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and to become acquainted with six great ideas: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Liberty, Equality, and Justice emphasized by Mortimer Adler. In psychology, the brilliant (and neglected) works of Abraham Maslow also deserve careful reconsideration. Over three decades ago Maslow wrote:
Throughout history, learned men have set out before mankind the rewards of virtue, the beauties of goodness, the intrinsic desirability of psychological health and self-fulfillment. It’s all as plain as A,B,C, yet most people perversely refuse to step into the happiness and self-respect that is offered them. [5]
Maslow’s subsequent work with self-actualizing people shed new light on values. He demonstrated that Freud’s dismal theories about values as the reins that hold people under control were valid only when applied to immature individuals. Maslow showed that in psychologically healthy people, values reappear in grander form and become the horses that pull people along toward their higher destinies.
But, of course, the ultimate source of the study of values is in the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it. This fact is obvious to a growing number of Christians, but not to many psychologists and philosophers. However, it is becoming more and more difficult for science and philosophy to ignore a leader who so inspired a handful of men and women that they left their obscure Roman province and went forth to turn the world upside down.
The signs are clear: the planet is emerging from the grips of an age of materialism and fear. The Urantia Book declares that we are quivering on the brink of a new era. I believe this to be not only true, but an urgent call to all of us who want to make a difference. We should be alert for opportunities to act. The transformation taking place in business should be acknowledged and nurtured. The crippling cynicism of much of our leadership in the seventies is being replaced by uplifting ideals, and young leaders are buying into them.
These young leaders may see the process of service as simply a means to profit and power. They may sometimes do the right things for the wrong reasons, but the real fruits of service-driven motivation will prove to be worth many times the great effort they require. Then fewer and fewer “code-words” such as values, community, and family will raise eyebrows in the inner sanctums of business chambers.
In my job as a management consultant, I have watched a very healthy trend in the last decade. I am now able to talk openly to even the toughest business executives about service and higher values. My hope is to one day help lift Jesus up high, not just to Christian business people, but to all business people.
In my job as a management consultant, I have watched a very healthy trend in the last decade. I am now able to talk openly to even the toughest business executives about service and higher values.
Many practical individuals, some of them wise Christian leaders, insist that such a time is far distant. Perhaps it is. For now we live in a society where people talk openly at cocktail parties about the dynamic magnetism of Hitler, and executives proudly quote from a book on the leadership secrets of Attila the Hun. And it is true that the ultimate code word, Jesus, is still not yet safe to use without discretion.
But surely one day a great business leader will ask the ultimate question. His or her words will clearly emanate across a polished board room table. The sophisticated pros and the young MBAs sitting around the table will not register surprise, but will seriously consider the question — because the question asked by this great leader will reflect what is recognized as the most profound business principle available: “What would Jesus do?”
Larry Mullins is president of Mutual Commiment Management, Boulder, Colorado, and a consultant in advertising and marketing. He is the author of “Immature People With Power,” and “Jesus: God and Man.”
| Some Human Sources of The Urantia Book | Spring 1993 — Index | Significant Books: The Mind of God by Paul Davies |
Total Customer Service: The Ultimate Weapon, William H. Davidow & Bro Uttal, Harper & Row, 1989 ↩︎
Servant Leadership, Robert K. Greenleaf, Paulist Press, New York, 1977 ↩︎
Horizontal Management, D. Keith Denton, Lexington Books, 1991 ↩︎
Mary Anne Rasmussen, President of World Wide Quality Assurance for American Express Travel Related Services. ↩︎
New Knowledge of Human Values, Abraham Maslow, Harper & Row, New York, 1959 ↩︎