Ayn Rand was wrong. The form of shareholder capitalism that businesses have been practicing for years and that many business leaders have been taught is not only misguided, but it's also badly misaligned with what we know of human nature. It's even contrary to objective reality. While we spend nearly a third of our waking lives at work, many of us feel dissatisfied and disengaged in our jobs. Or worse, we're sleepwalking, doing only what we must to collect a paycheck. Wouldn't it be great to come to work excited to make a contribution and go home feeling fulfilled?
In this groundbreaking book, Gavin Watson explores the principles of Conscious Capitalism, based on two decades of research in the fields of positive psychology, organizational psychology, and evolutionary biology. Conscious Capitalism rejects the toxic myth of neoliberal economics. In fact, a group of collaborative individuals will out-perform a group of selfish individuals every time. It is not selfishness but cooperative, generous, and altruistic behavior that is the basis of our success as a species, and the key to a high-performing business.
Watson shows how the four principles of Conscious Capitalism create a culture of trust and caring that in turn leads to higher engagement and productivity. Conscious businesses maximize autonomy, foster intrinsically rewarding work, and encourage individuality and flexible leadership. We flourish when we bring our whole selves to work, and so do our companies.
