I have been planning this post for a while now, but waited until at least some of the election angst has subsided.

Back in October, Peggy Noonan wrote an article titled “The Great Disappointment of 2016” which documents a fascinating discussion she had with a focus group of voters.  It captured the collective disappointment with the candidates.

These comments were most interesting to me:

“When asked to describe the America they want, they wrote things like ‘a solid education system,’ ‘no longer at war,’ ‘people have joy in their work,’ ‘leading the world in everything, including morals,’ ‘equal opportunity and reward based on work,’ ‘people haven’t lost their homes’ and ‘a culture that improves us as a people.'”

As I read these words, I agreed with so many.  That’s when I realized that my goal as a business leader is to build a business just like that.  My non-profit work has centered around improving the education system from early childhood all the way through adult education programs.  We strive to build a business where people have joy in their work.  We believe that we lead the world when it comes to our technology.  We believe we do this with a strong moral compass.  I have made efforts to create a meritocracy in which there are equal opportunities for all people so that rewards are based on work.  Throughout this most recent and the economic crisis of 2008-2009, we did everything we could to preserve the job of every employee possible so that our people did not lose their homes.

My ultimate goal has always been that our business inspires each employee to be a better person.  It is my desire that our culture drives us to be the best people we can be so that by working here, we become better parents, friends, coworkers, neighbors, citizens, volunteers, and more.  I want those that work here to leave saying that this was the most challenging, yet rewarding experience of their life and they are a better person for it.

By building a business that embodies this culture, we are in some small way making America what we all dream it could be, what we believe it should be and some believe it once was.  This serves as a scalable way in which we can each contribute to making America great.  Business by business, employee by employee until the entire country is filled with the culture the people sincerely desire.