The Power of a Healing Organization with Raj Sisodia Love in Action

This week’s distinguished guest is Raj Sisodia, Conscious Capitalism thought leader, international speaker, and bestselling author. Raj is the F.W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Global Business and Whole Foods Market Research Scholar in Conscious Capitalism at Babson College. He has co-authored a new book with organizational innovation expert Michael J Gelb, entitled The Healing Organization: Awakening The Conscience Of Business To Help Save The World. Raj chats with Marcel Schwantes about how for-profit businesses can become agents of healing for their employees, customers and communities.The word healing comes from two root words: wholeness and holy. Healing, therefore, is about reducing suffering, elevating joy and promoting healthy growth. [4:27]Work, as it’s traditionally viewed, has a high human cost. Raj is on a mission to show that we don’t have to kill people to make money. In fact, when our employees are happy and thriving, our businesses will prosper. [ 6:15]An example of a healing organization in Raj’s book is Greyston Bakery. Its founder Bernie Glassman started the bakery to “give people a first chance.” Their model is that they don’t hire people to bake brownies, they bake brownies to hire people. This open hiring policy has transformed the lives of countless people. [10:29]Raj says that we were put on this planet to care for one another. It’s what gives us the deepest satisfaction and happiness; it helps us heal. Business gives us the opportunity to care for each other at scale. [15:02]“Unexpressed love is the greatest untapped resource on this planet,” says Raj. [17:50]We should allow people to express love and be vulnerable about their challenges, Raj advises. Leaders modeling this make their employees comfortable to do the same. Suffering would then be replaced with joy and healing. [18:38]Strength, courage, focus, resilience, and discipline are desirable masculine qualities but they should be counterbalanced by feminine traits. “Out of balance masculine traits have caused a lot of devastation in the world,” Raj comments. We should be both tough-minded and tender-hearted, as Martin Luther King Jr said. [24:53]Raj says that the ultimate message of his book is to invite leaders to heal themselves. [26:00]It’s deeply ingrained in our culture to consider anything feminine as being weak. However, there is a strong correlation between so-called ‘feminine qualities’ and the traits of great leaders. When we elevate the feminine we will see many of our challenges go away. [28:05]Marcel asks if any for-profit company can become a healing organization. Raj says that they can by selling to their customers in a way that serves their wellbeing. Internally, a healing organization’s purpose should be to improve the lives of their own people, their families, and the community. [31:21]Raj talks about how his mentor Bob Chapman transformed over 100 businesses through his mission to touch the lives of as many people as possible. He says that when Bob Chapman shows up to invest in your business, you know there’s hope and a future for your company. Raj describes Bob’s work as a healing ministry. [32:33]Raj explains why he believes leaders still lead through fear. [40:09]Marcel and Raj discuss NKC, who says that: “Leaders driven by love will bring sustainability and healing to the business as well as for themselves.” [44:20]Healing organizations lead with love, innocence, simplicity, and truth. [46:12]A healing organization helps its customers engage in meaningful consumption. [48:04]Raj wants you to think about your own need for healing. “You are your most important stakeholder,” he says. Heal yourself and then bring that into the world. [50:15]