It is very worthwhile to try and wean boards and executives off their obsession with remuneration, but I am not sure if James' approach will work because it seems to be premised on the assumption that CEOS are ultimately striving for their own happiness.

Whilst it is fair to assume that the average reasonable person seeks to maximise their own happiness, the CEOs of large companies are often neither average nor reasonable, and when it comes to understanding happiness I think many of them are well below par. CEOs are frequently selected because their primary goal is not happiness but success for its own sake. Since our society associates success with wealth it is no surprise that some of those who want to be sucessful feel they can only do so by earning lots of money.

If this is true the only way to address the situation would be to;
1. Choose CEOs and boards who are reasonable and have a balanced approach to life and therefore value happiness over success - not likely to go down well with the shareholders.
2. Reverse the trend of the last 40 years and reprogram society to define success in terms of things other than fame and money - this would be wonderful but I can't see how it can happen.

Andrew ! you raise some very tantalizing points.

In fact, you gave a good commentary on human nature as much as anything.

You outline a possible solution, but cannot see how it can occurr.
Mainly because people define happiness in terms of fame and wealth, which is at odds with the idea of a 'holistic' approach to company mangement where 'happiness' might be considered a worthy goal to strive for.

May I venture a comment on the attitude which is expected of CEO's in terms of maximizing shareholder value, often irrespective of the social cost, such as where tobacco companies are struggling for a growth market in say the more chemically enlightened western countries yet they will advance their products of death in 3rd world countries and smile all the way to the bank.

In other words, this is basically the philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre and others, where morality is totally relative, and meaningless anyway.

It has taken a while, but such philosophies are slowly filtering down into the minds of people via the media, art, education. Specially since the 60s.

I almost rolled around the floor with laughter when I read the phrase 'science of happiness' in the article, as IF suddenly we are discovering what it is all about. We've known about true happiness all along, we are by and large just in denial.

I present Christ, and the example and the enabler of true happiness.
For the CEO's read John 10 "And he took a towell, ... and washed the disciples feet" and "I came not to be served, but to serve" and "I came that they might have life, and that in all its abundance"

for all of us I suggest an internalization of Pauls prayer in Ephesians 3

see part 2 please

continued... Pauls prayer

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Wow ! not bad I reckon. won't be everyone's cuppa of course, but for those of us who know this experience of life, its full on.

Your comment about 'for the past 40 yrs' was interesting. Its been pretty much that time since we threw out the baby with the bathwater of our parents values. I lived it all, 16 yrs old in 1965, watched it till now.

I add the point, that we need more than just a 'positive' concept of CEO, we also need One who can give people a reason to embrace such.

I'll probably get 'crucified' by the 'red brigades' for this post :) but never mind

Then Aragorn, being now the Heir of Isildur, was taken with his mother to dwell in the house of Elrond; and Elrond took the place of his father and came to love him as a son of his own. But he was called Estel, that is "Hope", and his true name and lineage were kept secret at the bidding of Elrond; for the Wise then knew that the Enemy was seeking to discover the Heir of Isildur, if any remained upon earth.

Elrond saw many things and read many hearts. One day, therefore, before the fall of the year he called Aragorn to his chamber, and he said: "Aragorn, Arathorn's son, Lord of the Dúnedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above the height of all your fathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall neither have wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time comes and you are found worthy of it."

Then Aragorn took leave lovingly of Elrond; and the next day he said farewell to his mother, and to the house of Elrond, and to Arwen, and he went out into the wild. For nearly thirty years he laboured in the cause against Sauron; and he became a friend of Gandalf the Wise, from whom he gained much wisdom. With him he made many perilous journeys, but as the years wore on he went more often alone. His ways were hard and long, and he became somewhat grim to look upon, unless he chanced to smile; and yet he seemed to Men worthy of honour, as a king that is in exile, when he did not hide his true shape. For he went in many guises, and won renown under many names.

To all those overpaid CEO's

"You will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you." (Deuteronomy 28:53) - whatever that means.

or alternatively ;-)

"The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet."

Thank you Garra for showing me the way.

If only the CEO's would study their LOTR the world would be a happier place.

garra, thanks for the enlightening and moving reading. I'm touched.

CEO performance pays. I have my doubts that many will trade pay for job satisfaction, the job satisfaction thing seems to be a line HR types keep for those lower in the food chain.

I would like to see the performance pays for executives evaluated and paid much later. How is the company doing 5 years from when the CEO did their thing? It seems fairly easy for the short term slash and burn types to come in for a few years, achieve massive cost savings and meet performance targets then move on before the poo hits the fan.

Meanwhile the company has been almost run into the ground, staff have been hurt etc. The customers may or not may that they have been done for a while yet.

In theory the changes a CEO makes should relate to the long term health of the company, not short term targets. Pay them that way and we might see much healthier corporate environments.

R0bert