1. Purity of Spirit: Tom’s of Maine
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Case Overview
Introduction
History
Spirituality-Inspired Business Philosophy
Spirituality-Inspired Business In Action
Value-Centered Leadership
The Seven Intentions
Organizational Design and Diversity
Empowering Employees and the Community
Respecting the Individual and the Environment
Spirituality in the Workplace
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Introduction
Tom’s of Maine was founded by Tom and Kate Chappell in 1970
All products are made from natural ingredients
Company sales are strongest on the East and West coasts
The flagship product is toothpaste (60% of revenues)
Additional Products: floss, deodorant, mouthwash, soap, shampoo, shaving cream, and other wellness products.
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History
1970 Introduced world’s first non-phosphate laundry detergent
1973 Expanded products to all-natural soap, shampoo, and lotion
1975 Added all-natural toothpaste
1981 Increased sales to 1.5 million
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History
1981 Hired more professional talent including several young employees with MBA degrees
1983 Increased sales to 2 million
1988 Decreased founder Tom Chappell’s time to 3 days a week; Chappell later returned to full time and created the company’s mission and values
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History
1994 Struggled with the “deodorant debacle”
1996 Considered selling the company but decided that potential buyers did not fit with company ideals
1999 Introduced a new line of wellness products
2006 Sold 86% interest in company to Colgate-Palmolive for $100 million
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7. Spirituality-Inspired Business Philosophy
Philosophies that influenced Tom’s of Maine’s culture
I-It vs. I-Thou
I-It philosophy sees others as objects to use for selfish purposes. I-Thou sees relationships as honorable and seeks friendship, respect, and love.
Jonathan Edward, American Philosopher
An individual’s identity comes not from being separate from others but connected to others.
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8. Value-Centered Leadership
Managing Upside Down: The Seven Intentions of Values-Centered Leadership
1. Society and ethics over maximizing financial gain
2. Increased profitability through people
3. Flat organizational hierarchy
4. The seven intentions

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The Seven Intentions
Connect
Know Thyself, Be Thyself
Envision Your Destiny
Seek Advice
Venture Out
Assess
Pass It On
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10. Organizational Design and Diversity
“It was not long before I realized that the more sensitive my executives and I could become to the differences of the people we were trying to serve, and the more perspectives we could plug into our discussions about product design, business strategy, and customer service, the more broadly the company could range to meet its financial objectives.”
-Tom Chappell
Circle: the team, all are equal
Triangle: the management, accountability, and decision-making
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11. Empowering Employees and the Community
“Live the mission.”
10% of all pre-tax profits go to charitable organizations
Employees are encouraged to dedicate 5% of their paid work time to volunteerism
Tom’s of Maine organizes company-wide volunteer projects
Tom’s of Maine offers generous benefits packages
An Apple a Day
Dental Health For All
Company Volunteerism
Rivers Awareness
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12. Respecting the Individual and the Environment
Giving Programs
Environmental Policies
Consumer Policies
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13. Spirituality in the Workplace
Respectful Pluralism
reflects an organization that is not “aligned with any explicitly religious, spiritual, or other comprehensive worldview” and where “organizations should allow for significant employee expression of various aspects of their identity on an equal basis.”
-- Dr. Douglas A. Hicks
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“Tom’s of Maine is a living, breathing—and profiting—proof that a business enterprise can be good for the earth, good for society, good for its employees, and good for its shareholders.”
– Tom Chappell
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Discussion Questions
How should management accommodate a variety of conflicting spiritual perspectives in the workplace?
Tom Chappell created a spiritual framework for Tom’s of Maine, a family-owned business. Can such a framework be created for a publicly-traded company? What differences might there be in its effects?
To what extent is Tom Chappell’s spiritual perspective responsible for the company’s organizational culture and the company’s successes and/or failures?
What risks might a company encounter when encouraging the expression of spiritual values in the workplace? What advantages does it gain?
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Thank You
Any Questions?
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17. Credits
Power Point to accompany Opportunities and Challenges of Workplace Diversity: Theory, Cases, and Exercises 2nd Edition
by Kathryn A. Cañas and Harris Sondak.
Prepared by Kathryn A. Cañas and Ellen M. Donovan.
Copyright ©2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

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