This September, ETK leadership Solutions reached an important milestone with the launch of its first “experience”, Brunch for Thought. The event served as the company’s big public début, after almost 5 years in operation. The overwhelming success of this inaugural experience brought with it an influx of interest in our services and events, compelling me to think more critically about how I will maintain my vision for ETK Leadership Solutions, beyond the pressures to pursue profit.
As a personal development and leadership training company this question is equally pertinent for the leaders and visionaries we collaborate with, who do business in non-normative ways that require a deliberate commitment to sustainability; those leaders pursuing entrepreneurship not just for the sake of profit, but because they are driven by a greater purpose. Must we be forced to sacrifice one for the other?
The search for a response to this challenging question, requires confronting the current economically precarious global situation, which has made many businesses “money desperate”. It also means tackling the near ubiquitous acceptance of growth-oriented business models as the only way to effectively do “business”. And of course, it means challenging overly simplified, politicized conversations on sustainability that do not genuinely attempt to restructure and transform normative business models.
How is ETK Leadership Solutions navigating shifting global economic conditions while striving to maintain the integrity of our vision, which is to build leaders who will serve the world in meaningful and sustainable ways?
Here’s how:
As a business that is holistically committed to sustainability, our obligation to society and the environment is deeply embedded into every part of our business. That commitment begins with the crucial recognition that we must consistently review our operations to ensure that we are doing business in a truly sustainable way. It ends with creating a workplace culture that reflects what we stand for – transformation guided by authenticity and humility, with a touch of good humour. Maintaining that culture involves rejecting the pressure and urgency to grow at any cost. It also means that we only onboard team members who are aligned with our core values, regardless how arduous that process may be.
We are committed to slow, steady and impactful growth, measured not by profit alone, but most importantly, by the number of lives we can impact—our purpose.
That purpose is to make the world a better place by building authentic leaders who serve humanity through their unique gifts.
In the pursuit of this purpose, we are committed to doing business on our own terms, irrespective of whether we have an example of what that looks like or not. In these unchartered territories we realize that we must remain attuned to who we are as an enterprise, honoring our core values of:
- Authenticity – We encourage open and honest conversations, with ourselves, our clients and our community so that we can cultivate an ecosystem of individuals who show up as their most genuine selves, for the greatest impact. For us authenticity means being true to who we are as individuals, staying in alignment with our core values and remaining committed to sharing our unique gifts and strengths with the world.
- Service – We are always searching for ways to better serve the needs of our colleagues, our clients and our community. We embody our belief that we are all leaders, and that in walking in the totality of whom we were meant to be – leading from a place of authenticity – we encourage others to do the same, and make a lasting difference in the world.
- Connectedness – We practice concern for each other’s welfare. “I am my sister’s keeper” is a cornerstone of our work culture. We know that our greatest asset and strength is each other, and we recognize that none of us is winning if we are not all winning.
- Innovation – We do business in a way that is unique to us. We are committed to breaking the mold and challenging the status quo. We borrow what serves us from traditional business models and reject anything that doesn’t.
- Excellence – We do our very best each and every single time, for each and every single client, program, event or experience.
- Individualization – We are committed to nurturing the unique qualities and abilities in each individual. This includes a commitment to doing the same thing for ourselves.
Enumerating these core values is our way of remaining accountable to ourselves and to you.
We invite you to embark on this journey with us as we unfold how we do business in a way that reflects our values and vision. An important part of our vision for the future is for all of you to grow with us and to be a part of our growth process. To that end, we are committed to sharing our wins and losses, openly and honestly. We hope this transparency will allow us to learn together and grow together, as we intentionally build a space that reflects who we were meant and dare to be as a leadership and communications firm. Our ultimate goal is to inspire you to do the same as you honour your life’s mission.
