This book is about the self-initiated, free enterprise transformation of capitalism into something better. Capitalism is transforming, not because of the external force of regulation, but because of the internal exertion of virtuous self-interest. Today, every organization is struggling to create the new currency of competition. In the early days of capitalism, money mattered most. We have entered a new phase of capitalism and the rules have changed. To be a player in the tomorrow's business, you will have to master the creation of five forms of capital or wealth: social, human, spiritual, financial and process or technology. These are the keys to competition. However, most organizations have not yet learned to manage these new forms of capital. This book is about creating the currency of competition in the new capitalism. This new capital resides at three levels: the organization, team and individual. This book defines the most important disciplines that unify energy and effort toward common business strategy. These are the currencies, which build the bank account of each of the five forms of capital. The pursuit of all five forms of capital will define not only your organization's success, but also that of your team, and your personal net worth. Mr. Miller has redefined the nature of wealth and given us a roadmap to achieving it. The workplace of today is different because of the competitive urge to produce innovative and high quality goods and services. Creativity and commitment are the fuel of commercial competition and they only come from people who are fully engaged. We, the business community, will transform capitalism again, not because of compliance to external regulation, but because we must, to compete. Mr. Miller has brought unity to the concept of wealth. He has provided a roadmap for creating both personal wealth, effective teams, and an organization that creates not only economic value, but ennobles the human spirit.
For the past thirty-five years, Lawrence M. Miller has worked to improve the performance of organizations. He began in our prisons. He redesigned a prison system by establishing the first free-economy behind prison walls in which inmates learned by earning.
His consulting focuses on implementing lean management and culture within his client organizations. He helps his clients with "whole-system" redesign of both work processes and the enabling social systems of the organization. Lean culture plus lean processes equal competitive success and customer satisfaction. He coaches senior teams and executives in their leadership of change and lean organization.
He was the founder of the Miller-Howard Consulting Group, which he sold to Towers Perrin in 1998 when he became a principal in that firm. He and his firm were one of the early proponents of team-based management and implemented team management from the senior executive team to include every level and every employee in the organization. Among his consulting clients have been 3M, Corning, Shell Oil Company, Merck, Metropolitan Life, Chick-fil-A, and Landmark Communications.
Mr. Miller has authored eight previous books, among them American Spirit: Visions of A New Corporate Culture, and Barbarians to Bureaucrats: Corporate Life Cycle Strategies. He has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, and CNBC, has written for The New York Times and has been the subject of a feature story in Industry Week magazine. Mr. Miller now lives in Annapolis, MD.
Mr. Miller is a frequent and popular speaker at management conferences.
His website is www.ManagementMeditations.com and he can be reached at LMMiller@lmmiller.com.
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
