Five Core Principles

From Jan Lopez:

The five core principles of A Beloved Community are:

1.       Purpose:                      Work for the betterment of the world (includes the community)

2.       Relationship:              Set the common good above private interest

3.       Conduct:                      Consciously adhere to human virtues

4.       Sustainability:            Do what will profit you and others

5.       Decision Support:    Consult as the means of decision making

Don Brown in his book To Build Anew, explains how these core principles work (substituting “A Beloved Community” for “enterprise” ):

·         They set a worthwhile purpose for the Beloved Community (to work for the betterment of the world) – a clear worthy direction contributes to the pivotal principle of unity and to the overall objective of the whole societal system.

·         They specify the fundamental relationship between the Beloved Community and society and between those working within the Beloved Community and the Beloved Community (to set the common good above private interest).  This principle defines who and what comes first, directly reflecting the unity principle of the relationship of the parts to the whole.

·         They provide the standard of conduct for all the affairs of the Beloved Community and its members (to consciously adhere to human virtues – truthfulness, trustworthiness, honesty, justice, moderation, etc.) – how to pursue the objectives of the Beloved Community in a way that contributes directly to the goal of the societal system.  In this system, the ends do not justify the means.

·         They define the essential standard of sustainability and reciprocity between the Beloved Community and all its stakeholders (do what will profit you and others) including the environment.  In this context profit, or benefit, is measured by the value that is being added to the benefit of all.  Profit or benefit is one key visible, measurable effect of the unity principle.

·         They provide the process and structure for the most significant, prevalent and pervasive activity of every Beloved Community – decision support (consult as the means of decision making).  Consultation itself is a participative process that fosters unity and consensus as well as giving effect to the second fundamental condition of unity – an authoritative means by which decisions will be taken.

·         They provide the common unifying standards and guidelines for making consistent decisions for the direction and operation of the enterprise at all levels, contributing directly to the unity, peace and well-being of humanity.