Making A Lasting Difference: The 10X Commitment
When we started Blue Beyond, we were clear that consulting is what we are good at—but that while being great consultants is necessary, it’s not sufficient. We wanted to leverage our collective talent to do good in the world, both in the work we do with our clients and in how we invest our time and money beyond our consulting efforts. We wanted our work as consultants to serve a higher purpose both in how we deliver our services and what we do with the fruits of our labor.
Through the great work of Bill and Marilyn Veltrop and their Pathfinders Circle, we were challenged to look at our business through the lens of a 10x Commitment. What is a 10x Commitment? In short, it’s is a way of setting goals that beckons us to think beyond our lifetime, to envision and commit to the lasting legacy we want to leave for our children’s children, and their children. By definition, it is a vision and commitment that we know we can’t achieve alone—it is both a leap of faith and a north star. A future we yearn for, but don’t know how to create. It is an audacious shift in the value we commit to create and an humble admission that there’s absolutely no way we can deliver on this promise without a lot of work, the goodwill of others, and the hand of providence making a path.
So what is the future we yearn for? The following seven statements of purpose together are our 10x Commitment:
1. Business is a force for good.
If capitalism is the bedrock of our system for taking ideas to reality in our world, then businesses own the moral responsibility to do our part to do good work to sustain our people and planet. We want to be a part of making businesses a force for good. The Fortune 1000 owns much of the capital of the world and if good happens in the world, corporations need to be part of the mix.
2. We live as global citizens, cherishing our common humanity and respecting our diversity.
The first time we looked at earth from space, there was a significant shift in human consciousness. We are all in this together, we are interdependent—and the variety and diversity of our world is what brings beauty, creativity, challenge, and sustainability for all of us—and we need to nurture that and celebrate it.
3. We have a deep, sustaining, and conscientious connection to nature and an enduring stewardship for our particular place on the planet.
While we are global citizens, we find our place in the whole when we are deeply connected to nature and to our particular place and time. Each of us has a distinct responsibility to tend to our particular place, the human and natural ecosystem we are part of.
4. Our workplaces are a genuine source of community and connection.
Work is a huge element of our lives—work should be a rejuvenating and sustaining place for every one of us. If we are going to work as hard as we do, the workplace should be a place of community and connection. Businesses can be hopeful places for the people who work with them.
5. Group genius is catalyzed to help solve our most intractable problems.
Two heads are smarter than one. If we can create an environment where people can bring their whole selves to work, we can create environments with exponential promise. Our weaknesses are someone else’s opportunities. The truth is that we are smarter together than any one of us would be alone. This is not a zero sum game because there is only more.
6. Every child has the chance to flourish, learn, and thrive.
The future is what we are here for. This starts with our commitment to our employees’ children and expands to the children in our neighborhoods, our place, our time, our world. Our children are our legacy and the decisions we make today, impact their future.
7. Mind, soul, heart, and body health is valued and nurtured in our workplaces and in our communities.
We are whole people and we want our work together to nurture each other and our clients. If we show up like this for our clients, it gives them the space to also show up as whole people. We are also committed to creating psychologically safe groups, where the teams have a safe place for interpersonal risk taking.
We can’t wait to share our story with you and to hear thoughts for your own 10x Commitment. Follow along on social media at #FutureWeYearnFor and #BlueBeyond10.
