Seven years ago we published It’s time to be good…, Freerange Future’s pledge to use our expertise to ‘help those doing good become great’. It quickly led to two significant questions – how do we decide what’s good, and how can we be (more) good ourselves?
The answer to the first question has been a specific set of criteria with some tweaks over the years, and occasionally as loose a definition as ‘nice people doing things for the right reasons’. The answer to the second question has been ‘B Corp’ and ’by helping those doing good’, which is kind of circular.
But it got us this far. And it’s something to be proud of. We’ve helped a lot of people doing good and many of them have become great(er). But also it feels a bit out of date. Simplistic. Self righteous.
So we recently turned some of our tools on ourselves, to check if our brand still aligns with our values and our values still align with our work; whether we’re still on the right track, seven years later. It was a valuable process, distilling clarity and focus.
From today, we’re embracing wholeheartedness.
It’s a beautiful word that’s rich with meaning. To us, wholeheartedness is a way of being, a value that transcends and unites all of our values. A single word to inform everything we do.
To be wholehearted doesn’t mean to be the best, although we can aspire to that. To be wholehearted means to try your best, to emotionally invest in your work and your community, to be sincere in all your interactions.
To work wholeheartedly is to go deep, to infuse your work with meaning and purpose and reason. To be vulnerable.
Wholehearted conversations are supportive and encouraging, truthful and frank. They’re the hard conversations as well as the happy ones.
Wholeheartedness is about listening to your heart, leading with your heart, doing what you know is right and finding other wholehearted people to walk alongside.
Wholehearted people do what they do for the right reasons – to create impact, strengthen communities, make positive change, transform lives, tread more lightly & do things better.
Wholeheartedness is not just a way of being. It’s a journey. Turns out we’ve been heading that way for a while, and it’s becoming clearer where we’re going.
If we’ve worked together in the past or we’re working together now – we’re still here for you, with renewed clarity and determination. If you’re working wholeheartedly and need good people to help you along the way, consider reaching out. No pressure, all heart.
We see you ❤️
Topics: B Corp, Freerange, Values