Roger Steare, The Corporate Philosopher

Episode notes

Roger Steare, a philosopher in business, helps people think about their purpose, values, and how to make the right decisions. He has developed a moral reasoning framework and emphasizes the importance of compassion, friendship, and fairness in ethical decision-making. He believes that integrity is demonstrated through the alignment of values and actions, and that good, simple rules are necessary to guide behaviour. Steare also discusses the impact of greed and fear in the corporate world and how they can influence decision-making. The conversation explores the themes of greed, fear, conformity, and moral leadership. Greed is described as a form of fear, driven by the fear of not having enough. The primal fear of not having basic needs met, such as belonging and material possessions, is hardwired into humans. However, the pursuit of wealth and material possessions does not lead to happiness or fulfilment. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of moral leadership and creating organizations with a shared moral purpose, values, and simple agreed rules.