Common-Sense Business

“Has the potential to transform how all companies are run…Nothing could be more valuable!”—Mark Drewell, CEO, Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI)

From two of the world’s most successful business leaders comes Common-Sense Business—an accessible, actionable guide to better leadership, increased profits, and a more sustainable economic model predicated on prudence and socially conscious business.

Common sense and prudence have long been among the guiding tenets of society, but in today’s economy they have been completely abandoned in the interest of blindly maximizing profits. Common-Sense Business shows that this current economic model is both detrimental and unsustainable, and that we must transform the global economy along the lines of common sense toward the common good. Ted Malloch, a thought leader and policy influencer in global economic strategy, and Whitney MacMillan, the former chairman and CEO of the world’s largest private corporation, draw on recent research, history’s greatest minds, and their own successes to explain that ethically driven business is both a moral and financial necessity.

Inspired by Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, this work explains to readers in all walks of life that ethically driven business will lead to better long-term profits, larger customer bases and more positive customer relations, and a holistically improved business. This book is a must-read for business owners, entrepreneurs, students, and businessmen and women in all sectors of the economy.

Whitney MacMillan is the former chairman and CEO of Cargill Corporation, the largest privately-held firm in the United States in terms of revenue.

A magnum opus written in simple words and built on real-life cases, reminding every modern person what a cardinal virtue they have easily forgotten while searching in vain for “solutions.” —Fanglu Wang, Senior Managing Directory, CITIC Capital (China)

Empowering business to serve the common good demands new ways of thinking about how to do strategy and make decisions. Ted Malloch and Whitney MacMillan provide a powerful idea in Common-Sense Business that has the potential to transform how all companies are run, to the benefit of shareholders, employees, and communities alike. Nothing could be more valuable! —Mark Drewell, CEO, Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative

Every business person, in fact, every person, needs to consider the purpose and significance of their life and enterprise. Common-Sense Business offers such a compass. —James Amos, former CEO of Mail Boxes, Etc.

Thus far we have seen value only in smart organizations. This book shifts the paradigm by moving the focus from smart to wise. We all need to seriously relearn from this book. —Jitin Goyal, president, Banking and Financial Services, Virtusa Polaris

Here is a book that is at the same time brave, deep, stirring, and practical. It is brave because it dares to speak unfashionable truths about economics, companies, and society. It is deep because it tackles philosophical issues raised by Aristotle, Aquinas, and Kant. It doesn’t just stir us up and call us to rise from our weak-kneed conformity; it is also practical, because it offers us a whole range of tools with which we can spring into action! —Prabhu Guptara, executive director, Organizational Development, Wolfsberg (Switzerland)

This book should inspire all whom Pope Francis called the “remansado,” the people who move with kindness and humility. When we seem to be educating young MBAs to shoot faster than their shadow, this book makes a very compelling case to educate them to be courageous leaders, who are conscious of their decisions and that these decisions affect other people and our environment. This exceptionally good book comes just in time to help us so-called risk adversers to gain confidence and to start demanding to be called sensibles. —Juan Pablo, Cerda CEO, TECO (Chile)

This is a most fascinating book on the much-needed transformation of economics and business from its materialistic, selfish, and reductionist form to a humanistic, prudent, and qualitative form. Common-Sense Business is required reading for businesspeople and economists—as well as for all students of these disciplines. —Laszlo Zsolnai, professor and director, Business Ethics Center, Corvinus University Budapest (Hungary), and president, European SPES Institute, Leuven (Belgium)

This masterwork is a prime example of how to use corporate responsibility so as to reinvest in our young, talented, and gifted leaders of tomorrow. That alone reinforces its impact, which is here to stay! —Karen Melonie Gould, author, Happy Entrepreneur Mind Set

Primum non nocere. “First, do no harm”: no harm to others, no harm to the earth, and no harm to oneself. This basic principle dictated by practical wisdom has been totally forgotten by the business world—as Ted Malloch and Whitney MacMillan show brilliantly—and replaced by a Promethean drive to unlimited profit at any cost . . . to others and to the earth. Already, the ancients had understood that Prometheus—the business leader—was to be chained, because once let loose, he would put fire to the universe. —Antonin Pujos, president, French Directors Institute (France)

This book is equally as enlightening as it is instructive. From philosophical foundations and real-world examples, Common Sense-Business derives conclusions and offers a set of tools for responsible business conduct with striking clarity. —Ernst von Kimakowitz, founder and director, Humanistic Management Center

This spectacularly insightful book identifies how recklessness has led us to the brink of disaster—and how to fix it. Every responsible executive needs common sense in business. —Dr. Paul Zak, founding director, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies The ancients understood the importance of virtue for a flourishing society. While today, information and know-how are often used as substitutes, this book provides a compelling case for placing the critical virtue of prudence at the centre of the global economy. —Peter S. Heslam, director, Transforming Business, University of Cambridge

The fruit of our increasingly morally relativistic culture is clear: financial collapse, scandal, and corruption. This book uncovers the roots of good business, challenging and equipping the reader with practical guides to lead teams and build businesses on a solid foundation with transformational value. Common Sense-Business is an intellectual and practical guide for leaders who understand that as humans, in everything we do, we are meant to live holistic lives—as integral members of a community and enriched with meaning and purpose. —Jinyoung Lee Englund, vice president, Digital Currency Council

A brilliant and very robust reminder of the risks incurred by everyone when business leaders are left without guidance and give up prudence and practical wisdom for hubris and unlimited profits. We need to replace fear and greed with common sense and the common good, as this book so thoroughly documents. —Christopher Wasserman, founding president, Zermatt Summit Foundation (Switzerland)

Common-Sense Business is one of those special books that look backwards in order to help us look forward, and it does so in a winsome and winning way. Drawing on some of history’s greatest minds, Common-Sense Business gives practical answers to the questions asked by Occupy Wall Street, the Tea Party, and others disillusioned with global businesses that have become detached from common sense and civic responsibility. —David W. Miller, director, Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative

Common-Sense Business is a great read. I like the way it blends philosophical discussions with examples of good and bad practice. It deserves to have very wide coverage and serious attention. &mash;Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

"The world of business literature, including the work of academics, is a vast wasteland filled with pious platitudes, hidden political agendas masquerading as scholarship, and much of it is written by people either ignorant of how market economies work or hostile to the whole idea of a market economy. This book is the exception. It is written by authors who understand the value and values of the business world, how it works, how to operate successfully within it, and how and why you will fail if you lack the four things they identify: prudence, patience, principles, and the practical know how that cannot be captured in a theory. Bravo!” —Nicholas Capaldi, Legendre-Soule Distinguished Chair of Business Ethics, Loyola University New Orleans

Every business person, in fact, every person, needs to consider the purpose and significance of their life and enterprise. Common-Sense Business offers such a compass. —James Amos, former CEO of Mail Boxes, Etc.

A magnum opus written in simple words and built on real-life cases, reminding every modern person what a cardinal virtue they have easily forgotten while searching in vain for “solutions.” —Fanglu Wang, Senior Managing Director, CITIC Capital (China)

Empowering business to serve the common good demands new ways of thinking about how to do strategy and make decisions. Ted Malloch and Whitney MacMillan provide a powerful idea in Common-Sense Business that has the potential to transform how all companies are run, to the benefit of shareholders, employees, and communities alike. Nothing could be more valuable! —Mark Drewell, CEO, Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative

Thus far we have seen value only in smart organizations. This book shifts the paradigm by moving the focus from smart to wise. We all need to seriously relearn from this book. —Jitin Goyal, president, Banking and Financial Services, Virtusa Polaris

Here is a book that is at the same time brave, deep, stirring, and practical. It is brave because it dares to speak unfashionable truths about economics, companies, and society. It is deep because it tackles philosophical issues raised by Aristotle, Aquinas, and Kant. It doesn’t just stir us up and call us to rise from our weak-kneed conformity; it is also practical, because it offers us a whole range of tools with which we can spring into action! —Prabhu Guptara, executive director, Organizational Development, Wolfsberg (Switzerland)

This book should inspire all whom Pope Francis called the “remansado,” the people who move with kindness and humility. When we seem to be educating young MBAs to shoot faster than their shadow, this book makes a very compelling case to educate them to be courageous leaders, who are conscious of their decisions and that these decisions affect other people and our environment. This exceptionally good book comes just in time to help us so-called risk adversers to gain confidence and to start demanding to be called sensibles. —Juan Pablo, Cerda CEO, TECO (Chile)

This is a most fascinating book on the much-needed transformation of economics and business from its materialistic, selfish, and reductionist form to a humanistic, prudent, and qualitative form. Common-Sense Business is required reading for businesspeople and economists—as well as for all students of these disciplines. —Laszlo Zsolnai, professor and director, Business Ethics Center, Corvinus University Budapest (Hungary), and president, European SPES Institute, Leuven (Belgium)

This masterwork is a prime example of how to use corporate responsibility so as to reinvest in our young, talented, and gifted leaders of tomorrow. That alone reinforces its impact, which is here to stay! —Karen Melonie Gould, author, Happy Entrepreneur Mind Set

Primum non nocere. “First, do no harm”: no harm to others, no harm to the earth, and no harm to oneself. This basic principle dictated by practical wisdom has been totally forgotten by the business world—as Ted Malloch and Whitney MacMillan show brilliantly—and replaced by a Promethean drive to unlimited profit at any cost . . . to others and to the earth. Already, the ancients had understood that Prometheus—the business leader—was to be chained, because once let loose, he would put fire to the universe. —Antonin Pujos, president, French Directors Institute (France)

This book is equally as enlightening as it is instructive. From philosophical foundations and real-world examples, Common Sense-Business derives conclusions and offers a set of tools for responsible business conduct with striking clarity. —Ernst von Kimakowitz, founder and director, Humanistic Management Center

This spectacularly insightful book identifies how recklessness has led us to the brink of disaster—and how to fix it. Every responsible executive needs common sense in business. —Dr. Paul Zak, founding director, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies The ancients understood the importance of virtue for a flourishing society. While today, information and know-how are often used as substitutes, this book provides a compelling case for placing the critical virtue of prudence at the centre of the global economy. —Peter S. Heslam, director, Transforming Business, University of Cambridge

The fruit of our increasingly morally relativistic culture is clear: financial collapse, scandal, and corruption. This book uncovers the roots of good business, challenging and equipping the reader with practical guides to lead teams and build businesses on a solid foundation with transformational value. Common Sense-Business is an intellectual and practical guide for leaders who understand that as humans, in everything we do, we are meant to live holistic lives—as integral members of a community and enriched with meaning and purpose. —Jinyoung Lee Englund, vice president, Digital Currency Council

A brilliant and very robust reminder of the risks incurred by everyone when business leaders are left without guidance and give up prudence and practical wisdom for hubris and unlimited profits. We need to replace fear and greed with common sense and the common good, as this book so thoroughly documents. —Christopher Wasserman, founding president, Zermatt Summit Foundation (Switzerland)

Common-Sense Business is one of those special books that look backwards in order to help us look forward, and it does so in a winsome and winning way. Drawing on some of history’s greatest minds, Common-Sense Business gives practical answers to the questions asked by Occupy Wall Street, the Tea Party, and others disillusioned with global businesses that have become detached from common sense and civic responsibility. —David W. Miller, director, Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative

Common-Sense Business is a great read. I like the way it blends philosophical discussions with examples of good and bad practice. It deserves to have very wide coverage and serious attention. &mash;Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

"The world of business literature, including the work of academics, is a vast wasteland filled with pious platitudes, hidden political agendas masquerading as scholarship, and much of it is written by people either ignorant of how market economies work or hostile to the whole idea of a market economy. This book is the exception. It is written by authors who understand the value and values of the business world, how it works, how to operate successfully within it, and how and why you will fail if you lack the four things they identify: prudence, patience, principles, and the practical know how that cannot be captured in a theory. Bravo!” —Nicholas Capaldi, Legendre-Soule Distinguished Chair of Business Ethics, Loyola University New Orleans