Why Humanistic Business Management Matters

Humanistic Business Management matters because humanity matters.

We have a problem. Well, actually, we have lots of problems. These include how to feed, clothe and house ourselves and to do so in a way that doesn’t destroy the environment that we depend on.

One of the biggest lessons I remember learning in school had to do with biology and with carrying capacities. Each ecosystem and niche has a carrying capacity. It’s the number of animals that can live there successfully. Above that limit there aren’t enough resources to go around.  But that’s only part of the problem. The other part is that every animal and plant, by living, creates waste products. These waste products are toxic to the animal itself. So, if any given animal is too successful, their waste will create a toxic environment that will cause them to die.

Anaerobic bacteria fart oxygen, thus creating an environment they can’t survive in. Humans breathe out carbon dioxide, which is toxic to us. Fortunately, trees breathe in CO2 and breathe out oxygen. So, in most cases, if we are well balanced with our environment, we are fine. Each animal or plant is consuming the waste of another and we have balance.

The importance of balance can’t be overstated. Get out of balance and animals and plants die.  We humans are not immune. It can happen to us.

The good news is that we humans can plan and think ahead to consequences and altar our behavior to avert problems. But only if we really want to.  And we really should want to because sustainable balance is important to our survival as a species.

Which brings me back to Humanistic Business Management. Humanistic Business Management is a strategic approach to business that takes into account the very real humans that make up the business, managing them well in a collaborative compassionate way, but it also takes into account the long term needs of the humans in the company and the human customers of the company. In other words, it takes into account the impact the business has on the environment and on our society in order to maximize the good the company does and minimize the harm.

Old school methods, like raping the earth, aren’t humanistic because they ignore the fact we humans are animals and so are dependent upon a healthy environment for our survival.  Pillaging the earth’s resources and harming people and ecosystems in the name of business are no longer acceptable business practices. For a reason!

Humanistic Business Management matters because the fate of humanity matters.