Head of a Think Tank, Hands of a Business, Heart of Philanthropy® Our story is one of integration. Not in the traditional sense of integrating processes and systems, but knitting together the various domains of business and the rest of life. For decades, business has prided itself on efficiency. This came to mean the insulation of the corporation from outside distractions - the rational triumphing over the relational. For the individual, this inevitably meant the isolation of work life from personal life. As we worked with executives and their corporations through the mid 1990s, we saw numerous reasons why this had to change. We began a deliberate process of creating tools and methods that would help leaders to define and achieve impact in an integrated way - a way that embraced all of life. Today we continue to push the edge by creating intellectual products and uncommon experiences that help clients get on the road to Impact through Innovation & Integration... quickly. Our Premise The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact was formed in mid-1996 around simple premises: Every person and corporation wants to have an impact. And they want that impact to be greater than short-term optimization of market share, product positioning, earnings or title. We all want long-term, sustainable impact with a capital “I” Impact is best achieved when aspects of corporate and individual life are aligned, or integrated behind a clear purpose. Dichotomized thinking lessons lasting Impact. Fresh thinking – innovation - is needed to both define Impact, and to devise strategies to achieve it. Our Values Integration - treating life as a cohesive whole Hospitality - the glue that holds spheres of life together, and provides an authentic hothouse for leaders Excellence - not the best all the time, but the right thing, a the right time, in a measurable Trust - the underpinning of relationships, business and others Relationship - people are the bottom line Service - the main job of a leader is to serve Our Foundational Principles We learned over time that having Values was not enough. In 2001 we began a process of defining our philosophy of business, if you like, and documented our Foundational Principles. Extracts of these include: The Institute’s ultimate goal is to repurpose corporations and leaders so that they discover and implement a personal and corporate calling, thereby transforming people, societies and nations. The corporation serves the calling just as a new wineskin serves new wine. The Institute is a vehicle for the integration of Career, Community, Creativity and Calling. Sustained Impact comes when people discover and walk out their identity. As we sow generously, we will reap generously. The integration of business and philanthropy should always be self-sustaining. Relationships are trusts that must be stewarded carefully. Business-as-community is a crucible for walking out our Call. Multicultural, interdisciplinary teams have greater societal impact. Work has inherent value and is not just building a Career. People everywhere will benefit if they experience a non-dichotomized life. ©2005 The Institute