Business Commons^™

The Tides Of Life (Chicago), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

This speech was originally delivered at a Moody Business Network Luncheon, part of a series of such luncheons organized by The Moody Church in Chicago. In it Pollard posits that servant leadership -- while not always explicitly Christian -- is oftentimes the primary way one actualizes Christian values in the workplace.

The Quest For The Entrepreneurial Spirit, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Drawing from his years of experience leading The ServiceMaster Company, Pollard outlines for the Entrepreneurial Leader's Organization (ELO) Conference (Vancouver, B.C.) the main tenets of what he considers the entrepreneurial spirit.

The Soul Of The Movement (Long Version), C. William Pollard, Al Erisman

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at the 2014 Faith at Work Summit (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - Boston, MA), Pollard contends that people represent the only thing of eternal value in the global marketplace. In light of this, he argues that Christians must be service-oriented ambassadors for Christ in the corporate world.

Included at the end of the speech is an email from one of the summit's conveners, Al Erisman, and Pollard's handwritten notes.

Business As A Calling / Profit As A Virtue, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

This speech was delivered at a Symposium on Corporations, Capitalism, and Christianity sponsored by The Center for Lifelong Learning at Windsor Park Retirement Community in Carol Stream, IL. In it Pollard considers the integration of business and faith, focusing primarily on how leaders must cultivate the humanity of their employees while simultaneously maximizing profit.

The Virtue Of Profit (California), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

This particular version of the "Virtue of Profit" speech was prepared by Pollard for a meeting with a Chinese business associate. In it he contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

Serving Two Masters? Reflections On God And Profit, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this public lecture at Ambrose University (Calgary, Canada), Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

The Virtue Of Profit (Boston), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking at a ministry conference hosted by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Boston, MA), Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

The Virtue Of Profit (Seattle), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at Seattle Pacific University, Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

The Virtue Of Profit (Wheaton, Il - Second Revision), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this second revision of a speech delivered at Wheaton College's Hastert Center (now the Center for Economy, Government, and Public Policy), Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

The Virtue Of Profit (Wheaton, Il - First Revision), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech -- a revised version of one delivered at Wheaton College's Center for Economics, Government, and Public Policy -- Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

The Virtue Of Profit (Mclean, Va), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech delivered to the Workforce Ministry Group of McLean Presbyterian Church (McLean, VA), Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

Faith In The Workplace, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking at the Samaritan Interfaith Focus on Faith Breakfast (Cress Creek Country Club - Naperville, IL), Pollard addresses the question of faith in the workplace. In particular, he posits that servant leadership is the primary means by which one actualizes religious faith in everyday life.

What Is Your Business? (Chicago), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at the 2008 Chicago Executive Forum Breakfast (Naperville, IL), Pollard posits that Christian businesses (i.e., corporations in which, among other things, managers see themselves as servant leaders) should understand profit as a means for the development of human character.

The Virtue Of Profit (Washington, D.C.), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking at the 2008 PathNorth June Gathering (Washington, D.C.), Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

Notes From A Herman Miller Company Board Meeting, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

These handwritten notes -- mainly including material concerning the topic of responsible leadership -- provide Pollard's perspective on a 2008 Herman Miller Company board meeting.

Open For Business (Short Version), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Reflecting on his own experience bridging the gulf between business and faith while serving as Chairman of ServiceMaster, Pollard encourages students at Covenant College to go forth into their future vocations confident in their abilities to integrate faith and work in whatever arena they are called to serve.

Etched In Stone, Engraved On The Heart (Arlington, Tx), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at the 2006 C12 Leader's Conference (Arlington, TX), Pollard considers how contemporary business leaders might integrate faith and work while also serving their families and building businesses oriented to a "greater purpose."

Globalization And The Human Condition, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at the Sino-Foreign Management Summit (Beijing, China), Pollard addresses the increasingly global character of the economy, noting in particular how it will require not only greater regulation but also ethically-minded business leaders and well-formed corporate employees.

Making A Difference, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech to the Evangelical Publishing Association (ECPA) at Indian Lakes Resort (Bloomingdale, IL), Pollard offers a semi-autobiographical insight into the integration of work and faith, noting how servant leadership in particular has allowed him to apply his Christian faith in the corporate world.

What's It All About? (Lake Geneva, Wi), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this brief speech at the Geneva Lakes Business Luncheon, Pollard asks local business leaders to examine their priorities and reminds them that all they do -- including their business endeavors -- should be seen as service to Jesus Christ.

Mission As An Organizing Principle, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking to both The Conference Board and the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, Pollard addresses the topic of corporate mission, arguing that one can envision a meaningful relationship between work and the rest of life only when an organization's leaders are focused on serving employees.

Bridging The Gulf (New Haven, Ct), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Delivered at the Yale Berkeley Seminar (hosted by Berkeley Divinity School at Yale) in New Haven, CT, this speech asks how Christians might bridge the gulf between work and faith (or God and profit). Pollard posits that the link between the two is to be found in people, all of whom are made in the image of God. In this framework, the corporate firm may be construed as an institution of moral formation.

Letter To The Editor Of Harvard Business Review (Re: Businesses Being Dependent On People), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this Harvard Business Review Letter to the Editor, Pollard outlines those global and economic forces necessary for ServiceMaster to understand as it shapes its leadership strategy for the twenty-first century.

The Soul Of The Firm (Nairobi, Kenya), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at the Daystar Symposium (Nairobi, Kenya), Pollard notes that whereas the "theory of the firm" is often defined by the objective goal of maximizing profit, the "soul of the firm" should be considered the people the organization employs. Corporate success, therefore, requires that profit be considered alongside the development of character.

The Soul Of The Firm As It Moves To The 21st Century, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In an address delivered at the 50th Annual Indiana University Business Conference (Indianapolis, IN), Pollard contends that the "soul" of any corporate firm is its people. In light of this, he goes on to argue that corporate success depends upon managers who commit themselves to a vision of leadership defined by service to both employees and customers.

The Soul Of The Firm (Phoenix), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Delivered at the Activating Your Firm's Service Culture Symposium (Phoenix), this speech outlines Pollard's theory of the corporate soul, which is most clearly defined as the people who make up the organization. According to Pollard, proper recognition of the firm's soul requires a certain kind of leadership, one defined by both service and sacrifice.

The Quest For The Entrepreneurial Spirit (Claremont, Ca), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In this speech at Claremont College's Alumni Day, Pollard contends that the way in which managers lead directly influences the innovatory spirit of the corporate firm.

The Gift Of Change, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Delivered at ServiceMaster's Award of Excellence event in January 1993, Pollard here considers how the organization might understand the monumental changes of the early 1990s as gifts while simultaneously remaining committed to its core principles of honoring God and developing people.