Adding Financial Value by Creating Human Value

Muhammad Yunus went to Vanderbilt University, my former employer, to get a Ph.D. in economics. Yunus is a rock star at Vanderbilt, and every time he returns to campus it’s a big celebration. We were still working there during one of his visits. Yunus became famous because he helped the poor in his native Bangladesh. He spent a lot of time with farmers, especially women, in rural areas. He wanted to understand their plight. Despite hard labor and long hours, most farmers were exceedingly poor. Once he understood that they were poor because they were indebted to loan sharks, he went on to create the Grameen Bank, which provided loans with decent interest rates. His work lifted millions of people out of poverty and he went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Yunus added value to his community and his country. He did so with ingenuity and tenacity. Like Yunus, most of us want to make a difference. Connecting with loved ones and with a higher cause makes us feel alive.

 Dr. Isaac Prilleltensky is an award-winning academic and author. He is also a coach, consultant and a researcher. His latest book, co-authored with his wife, Dr. Ora Prilleltensky, is How People Matter: Why it Affects Health, Happiness, Love, Work, and Society (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Press here to pre-order.