Last time, I talked about what ENRON did wrong with regards to Organizational Effectiveness (OE). Now I have the privilege to refer to a company that is doing it right (in my humble opinion). The Great Lakes Brewing Company has impressed me to no end with not only their business model, but also the dedication to their employees, environmental awareness, and community involvement.
I would never have even taken a microbrew beer company seriously had it not been for the class assignment. I can honestly say that since learning so much about GLBC, I have a new appreciation for how an organization can align its goals to achieve the triple bottom line (TBL) of “People, Planet, Profit”, and do so in a way that provides one of my favorite products – beer! In keeping with the class theme for eleven word descriptions espoused in my Critical Thinking class:
Now don’t get me wrong; I have never been one to throw in with what I would have once considered to be a liberal agenda, but I believe that the TBL is the equation for success in new millennia businesses. Even the 150-year-old company where I work now has an Environmental Stewardship program, which shows that you can teach an old dog new tricks. I realize the TBL is not the only measure of OE, but it definitely focuses on three of the areas recommended by articles I have read for measuring OE. What I thought was a liberal philosophy may just be a recipe for success.
Of course, you may not be ready to completely accept this Triple Bottom Line philosophy. It will require some critical thinking, deep reflection, and a couple of beers. I recommend the Conway Irish Ale.
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