I’ve said it a million times: the purpose of business is to help people, and that should be its priority. Unfortunately, too many have been misguided to think profit is the purpose. This is similar to the way many people see education. They make school about grades instead of learning. Grades, like profit, are outcomes, and learning, like service, is the true “why” for being there. 

If you’re a parent, do you want your children to learn, or do you only care about their report cards? If you are report card-driven, here’s a little secret: your kids can get decent grades and learn next to nothing. Ultimately, that might get them into college or a job, but the lack of real knowledge will soon become apparent, and they’ll be saying, “Do you want fries with that?” before you know it.

In the business world, this same philosophy manifests as the sale of numerous dreams, followed by the delivery of numerous nightmares as a result of cost-cutting and providing the bare minimum of service. It’s a case of misplaced priorities. It’s focusing on grades without really learning. 

As a parent and a former school teacher, I can tell you this misguided priority in education is damaging us, and as a professional in the world of work, I say the same about business. When profit is #1, people, service, and quality become #2 or worse. This subverts being great at what you should be great at, namely, serving. Thus, substandard becomes the standard. Mediocrity becomes the norm. Congratulations! You’re a commodity.

Don’t like that? Then don’t be that.

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