By now, we are all familiar with concepts like Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Anything as a Service (XaaS). The phrase “as a service (aaS)” refers to a business model in which something is being presented to a customer, either internal or external, as a service.

But have you ever stopped to consider that there is a step beyond just being a service?

I’d like you to consider a next-level concept - - Business as a Blessing (BaaB).

In 1981, Pope Saint John Paul II (JPII) wrote his encyclical Laborem Exercens (On Human Work), making the case that “Through work, man must earn his daily bread and contribute to the continual advance of science and technology and, above all, to elevating unceasingly the cultural and moral level of the society within which he lives in community with those who belong to the same family.”

This view on work ties the output of effort to the common good of our fellow man, a chance to bless others. Through this document and many others, JPII also demonstrates how work was designed for man as a place of growth, formation, and dignity, all of which serve as a blessing for the workers themselves.

In establishing the Conscious Capitalism movement, Raj Sisodia and John Mackey recognized this same need to bless others by establishing the second of their four tenets, Stakeholder Orientation. This tenet highlights the interdependent nature of life and the need to create value with and for every person who is impacted by an organization.

The Conscious Capitalism Stakeholder Orientation includes clients, employees, vendors, suppliers, investors, and the community. I would add to their list by including employees’ family members, former employees, applicants for employment who were never selected for the job, and even competitors. If you truly view every person impacted by your organization as a stakeholder, then you can seek to bless everyone by architecting a strategy and culture that honors human dignity while pursuing excellence, mastery, and maximum impact on the common good.

Business as a Blessing isn’t a fun new buzzword. It is a reality for a growing number of organizations, and it can become your reality as well.

Contact Undivided Life today to learn more about our upcoming culture foundations boot camp, various intensives, and our full-scale strategy and culture consulting options.