Donald Trump, Success and TBLI Hero

Alain de Botin gave a very good Ted Talk about success, particularly how it impacts Americans. Having grown up in Brooklyn, New York I always struggled with the incessant pressure to win and compete. It never motivated me, but always demotivated me. Alain’s description about how people are viewed as winners and losers, in America, was brilliant.  His talk, made in July 2009, resonated with me because of my own personal experiences and the current US Presidential election.

Donald Trump campaigning and his success in the polls is a joy,(entertainment) and depressing. Trump has offered no concrete solutions, insulted many, has been against most progressive initiatives that help many and he is very  proud of the fact that he fights very hard to pay as little taxes as possible. His tv show The Apprentice, which I really disliked, taught nothing of value. The focus was quick fix, short term, zero sum game, ego, winners and LOSERS, and no added value at all to the contestant or society. Trump is about  “success”. It is about the ribbon cutting, ego, cash, and no fulfilment and WINNERS and LOSERS. Unfortunately, we all become the losers with winners like that.

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.

Albert Einstein

Come to TBLI CONFERENCE EUROPE 2015, November 19-20, in Zurich and meet the thought leaders of value.

TBLI Hero

I have known George Curuby for quite a long time. He was one of the few people who came from Japan for our inaugural launch of TBLI CONFERENCE in Rotterdam, in 1998. A quiet man who doesn’t push himself forward when everyone wants to be in the ribbon cutting photo. George never seeks to claim credit for great accomplishments or to pump up his ego. He just gets on with the work at hand. Theodore Roosevelt speech The Man in the Arena describes George.

George has always been extremely supportive of TBLI and our efforts. TBLI CONFERENCE ASIA 2011 was held in Tokyo. Due to the nuclear disaster at Fukushima, most sponsors and guests pulled out.  This created a huge problem for TBLI. George was the only one who came forward and helped TBLI making the Conference a success. His support for our work has continued to this day.

I was impressed with a recent revelation. He left Japan to move back to the USA to take care of his mother, as primary care giver.  I will never forget his kindness, generosity or authenticity, and neither should you.

He is a true mensch. Thank you George.

TBLI in the Press

Thanks to Family Office Magazine for publishing this article in their South East Asia Edition.

 

 

August 6, 2015 2015, Climate Change, Impact Investing, Personal Note, Sustainability, TBLI Conference 1 Comment on Donald Trump, Success and TBLI Hero

TBLI Hero

My wife and I recently caught up with my dear friend, Prakash Sethi, and his wife, Hillary. Prof. Prakash Sethi is one of the leading authorities on corporate codes of conduct. He is a distinguished Professor at Baruch College and is Forrest Mars, Sr., Visiting Chair Professor of Ethics, Politics and Economics at Yale. Prakash has written 29 books. Yes. that is not a typo. 29 books. I often found that mind boggling as I struggle with my own book. He is a great champion of ethics, values and good governance. As a thought leader, he was often asked to do social audits or evaluations of companies that were having reputation problems, like mining companies. His answer was always the same: “Happy to come help, but whatever we find, our results must be put into public domain”.

During dinner, I asked him how he keeps up his drive and energy to keep fighting the good fight with all its difficulties and all the challenges that he faces,in changing the corporate mindset. He said, “I love what I do and it needs to be done”. His thinking is clear and focussed, like his responses to values-related questions. I remember his response when I asked why he teaches at Baruch College and not at the Ivy League Colleges, full time. His response was “I believe in public education”.

Prakash’s classiness has been manifested over and over again. November 2-4, 2006, TBLI was held in Frankfurt. In preparation of that event, we were attacked by a right wing, Tea Party, Fox News-type who tried to torpedo our TBLI CONFERENCE. One of the speakers, we invited, Max Keiser, insulted and embarrassed a speaker that we wanted to invite, named Steve Milloy. Steve had started an anti SRI fund or “vice fund”. I thought it would be good to engage and have a dialogue about Steve’s fund and strategy. Steve tried to have Max removed from the program by intimidating me,  all the American speakers, sponsors and the moderator of that session, Prakash Sethi. To my amazement, Prakask took a great deal of  time to listen and to try to understand Steve, who could easily be the poster boy for Fox News. After listening, Prakash decided that he would still moderate the session with Max Keiser. Steve then intimidated the dean of Baruch College,  and started a campaign to discredit Prakash and have him fired. In spite of all that, Prakash still came to Frankfurt and did a brilliant job in moderating the session, and not allowing bullies to dictate his behaviour. Where most would have ran for cover and take the easy way out, Prakash reflected and let values be his compass, and continued to show respect to someone who didn’t deserve respect. I was very impressed.

In a world where everyone seems to chase the short cut, the quick buck, the predator method, it is inspiring to see someone still working at the coal face with a smile on his face and joy in his heart.

Prakash, we love you.

Integrity has no need of rules.

– Albert Camus

Hope to see you and other ESG and Impact integrity leaders in Zurich, November 19-20.

Robert
July 16, 2015 2015, Climate Change, Impact Investing, Personal Note, Sustainability, TBLI Conference 3 Comments on TBLI Hero

2015 Year of Reflection and Balance

I wish everyone a balanced 2015, and that we all take some time for reflection. It seems the transition from one year to the next has gotten blurred in this 24/7 life. Let’s think about how we can all work to bring back some harmony in our lives and enrich the lives of people around us. Follow your hearts and your dreams. 

“A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind.“

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In Memory of some of the great ones we lost in 2014:

Robin Williams•Philip Seymour Hoffman• Maya Angelou•Mike Nichols• Lauren Bacall•Mickey Rooney.Joe Cocker•Phil Everly•Pete Seeger•Harold Ramis•Sid Caeser•Antony Hopkins•Rik Mayall•Eli Wallach• James Garner•Nadine Gordimer•Richard Attenborough•Joan Rivers•Raymond F. Magliozzi

They and many, many others will all be missed, as they all enriched our lives. One person, who I was close to was Raymond Jablonka, who was my uncle. He was a great man and a real mensch. He didn’t cure cancer or create another social media site that went public. He was just a wonderful human being who loved his family, worked hard, enjoyed his life, and enriched other people’s live. I will miss him dearly, but his spirit, as the spirit of all those who passed this year will live in our memories. Their spirit will manifest itself in many ways. Just pay attention.

Robert Rubinstein
TBLI Foundation

December 31, 2014 2014, Impact Investing, Sustainability, TBLI Conference 1 Comment on 2015 Year of Reflection and Balance