A company that features as one built to last by Collins and Porras is Merck. It is a world class pharmaceutical company that claims to be driven by organizational values and vision. Merck says of itself, “We invent for life.”
In their famous examination of companies in Built to Last, Collins and Porras observed that when Merck celebrated its 100th anniversary, they set out to celebrate how the company was guided and inspired by a set of humanistic ideals rather than what other companies honored: profits. Merck is inspired by the idea of exploring new fields of medical science and of service to humanity.
My Favorite Example
My favorite example of his was their decision to make the drug Mectizan available free of charge to millions of people suffering from onchocerciasis among the poorest communities in the world. It’s also called “river blindness.” At the time, I was living in a village in the forests of Liberia, West Africa. It was not uncommon for adults to squint as they spoke to me while gently scratching lumps on their shoulders and arms. A look at their legs showed curious leopard skin patches from broken skin and scarring. They are the tell tale signs of “river blindness,” endemic in those forests. It had no cure.
It was spread by a small black fly that seemed to be everywhere. I knew I had the worms under my skin when a worm cyst was removed from my tailbone. There was nothing to be done about it until I heard a rumor that a cure was found and the drug was being made available free of charge. Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to find a clinic that offered me the Mectizan tablets. I was cured.
Later I read about how Merck got involved in developing the cure. It seemed reasonable to think that a government or hospital or other health oriented global entity would have paid for the drug and it’s distribution. But that didn’t happen. So Merck decided to give the drug away freely while also paying for the educational and distribution efforts.
I wish I could thank someone at Merck for living out their organizational values.
Create an Enduring Organization
Build to Thrive consultants know how to help leaders create enduring businesses and nonprofit organizations―like Merck. We often find that founders need help articulating their vision and values, then put them into a form that will shape strategy for a growing organization. The leaders of well established organizations sometimes decorate their strategy and core communication documents with values. They must be true to the organization’s culture or they will undermine its development.
It is especially important that nonprofit organizations have clear values. That is because people get involved as donors and volunteers because they believe in its cause. Their participation is in many ways a spiritual experience. Business customers, too, are looking for a deep connection with a brand. It goes beyond getting this for that. They want to make a difference.
Let us help you grow your enduring organization. We know how to identify and elevate values that will shape your success.