“Intuitively we know that there is a link between trust and creating value, not just economic but also societal value,” says Piers Cumberlege, Senior Director, Head of Partnership at the World Economic Forum.

This, from….

The Leadership, Trust and Performance Equation: An initiative by the World Economic Forum

advised by PwC

read more here at PwC

I had my two cents yesterday, on a drive through St. John’s.

Now, consider the value and power of trust and trustworthiness as true capital.  Consider the contributing virtues of integrity, accountability, truthfulness, reliability, responsibility and justice in economic affairs and their supporting financial systems.  Without them… apathy and alienation, conflict and contention.  With them, comes a faith that augers well for healthy and robust prosperity and long term investment.  Until we understand that the mechanics of failing and failed economic systems cannot be effectively addressed unless we look at our motives and missions for said systems, we will not “get it”.

Truly sustainable economic systems require the sustaining strengths of character.  This is not about “being good”.  It is about being great.  Without character as a foundation to economics and finance, we remain “doomed to the crap shoot” that investment and financial markets have too often become, filled with speculation and fear; and short on long term and far reaching prosperity.  We end up with excessive disparities in prosperity and, as nature would have it, no bird can fly with only one wing strong.

We need conversations around, consultations on and commitment to a market-inspired, but character-driven economic system.  We need conversations around what I call the character quotient; the consideration of virtue as it applies to economic systems that inspire and serve… economic systems at the organizational, community, and global levels.

Peace, passion and prosperity… for all, sustainable and sustaining, without the mood swings of immediacy.

Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy™