My
fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do
for your country. – John F. Kennedy

In the US, corporate America has become the enemy. It is
seen as the greed machine that steals money, destroys the environment, imposes
its products and services on the innocent and enslaves its workers. Yet, it is
the very hand that feeds the nation through jobs, training, income, travel and
many other opportunities. Are we

Perhaps it is time to say: My fellow Americans, ask not what
corporate American can do for you, ask what you can do for corporate America.

In reality, corporate America cannot exist without the US citizen. In fact, corporate America is a product of US culture. Somehow we
believe corporate America is somewhere outside of us, when the brutal reality
is it could never exist without the love of capitalism that we all celebrate.
If you need evidence, go to any mall or restaurant in the USA. You will see
people enjoying the benefits of capitalism provided by corporate America.

Instead of the love, hate relationship we have developed with companies, there is another perspective. Unless you work for the
government, you are the beneficiary of corporate America. As a note, the
government does not build or produce anything. They contract the work to
organizations that employ people to service the government. With that said, it
is time to see corporate America as the catalyst for transformation of US
culture. Up to now, we have believed that corporate America was shaping us. 

Since businesses cannot act or function without people, it is time for people to choose what they want corporate America to be, instead of
being the victim of it. For example, in no way is a job merely a source of
income. It is a place to become a better and smarter person. Most companies
offer training. Instead of seeing training as a way to keep your job, use the training to become a more effective communicator, negotiator, problem solver, leader, etc. If your job became a source of educating you to become smarter and
a more capable human being, the divorce courts would be empty. Why? The skills
you develop in your career are transferable. As you become a better
communicator and negotiator, you are equipped to work things out with your
spouse. You also become a better leader when you are raising your children.

These benefits go well beyond your family. The skills and
tools you develop from work would then contribute to you being a better
neighbor, friend, sister, etc. In addition, things like road rage and arguments
over small matters would disappear because each of us has been indirectly
developed in human relations.

Furthermore, as we become more satisfied with our personal
lives, we become more satisfied with our professional lives. They would feed on
each other. As the enjoyment of our family life increases, divorce could
possibly be eliminated. In turn, we would become that much more productive in
our careers without the distraction of going through a tumultuous divorce.

As you can see, corporate America can serve a much greater
role in our lives. Money is just a small part. It is corporate America that has
the greatest possibility to transform many of the social and environmental
challenges we face. However, there is no way it can happen without the
individual. Each of us is responsible for what corporate America can be. What role will you play to ensure corporations become the catalyst for peace, empowerment and transformation?   

What do you think? I’m open to ideas. Or if you want to
write me about a specific topic, let me know.