Bible MBAናሙና

The Golden Rule 

This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. Matthew 22:38-39 AMPC 

There's a tendency to reduce the process of building culture to putting in place a bunch of rules or a code of conduct. While we can't completely eliminate those rules and codes, it is important to not lose sight of the fact that the reason those rules become necessary in the first place is that we have not imbibed the golden rule. 

The Pharisees once came to Jesus and asked Him, which is the rule of all rules, and it was from that conversation that we got what we now call the golden rule. Essentially Jesus told the lawyer who raised the question that all of God's requirements could be boiled down to two things: Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. 

The implication of this for corporate culture is that the only way we can create a culture that pleases God is to hinge it on a deep reverence for God, and deep respect for people. 

In reality, as Jesus implied, this is actually one rule expressed in its two mirror images. It is impossible to truly have a deep reverence for God and not have a deep respect for people. 

That is why it is said, “If anyone says “I love God,” but keeps on hating his brother, he is a liar; for if he doesn't love his brother who is right there in front of him, how can he love God whom he has never seen? And God himself has said that one must love not only God but his brother too.” (1 John 4:20-21 TLB)

In essence, one way to recognize that you are succeeding at building a great corporate culture is when it becomes obvious that all policies reflect a deep respect and concern for the welfare of the people who work with you and those whom your business serves.