In words that Khalil Gibran’s ‘Prophet’ might have said:
A merchant asked “Speak to us of Corporations.”
And the prophet answered, saying:
Your corporations, they are the gardens of your world’s commerce, planted with trees of ambition and watered with the streams of industry. They grow tall and cast shadows far, housing the birds of innovation in their branches and providing shelter to the weary travellers of enterprise.
But remember, these entities are not the sole keepers of your livelihood. They are but a single thread in the intricate tapestry of your economy.
For the corporation that seeks only profit, reaps a barren harvest, devoid of the fruits of community and sustainability.
Let your corporations be places where the heart and mind can find agreement, where the wellbeing of all is considered alongside the balance sheets.
And let them not become the fortresses of greed, for wealth without purpose is a wind that scatters dust in all directions.
Seek to build corporations that stand not on the backs of the toiling masses but alongside them, lifting the burden of labour with dignity and respect.
For in the end, it is not the corporation that shall endure, but the legacy of its deeds and the prosperity it fosters amongst the people.
So let your work be guided by a hand that is steady, and let your ventures be as ships that navigate the waters of commerce with integrity and foresight.
For the corporation, like the oak, must understand that it is part of a larger forest, and its roots are entwined with the fate of the world.
