How About Just One More View – the 7 Generation Principle?

I’ve had the honor of working with several Native American Nations and have learned the 7 Generation Principle. It is simple and compassionate and perhaps more relevant today than ever. Here it is: in every decision, be it personal, governmental or corporate, we must consider how it will affect our descendants seven generations into the future. I love it. Whether I am working with large corporations, structuring my “policy” argument for a hearing, counseling athletes, or mediating, I try and weave this incredible principle into the fabric of the discussion when discussing goals, purpose, and decisions. “Short-term” and “long-term” are sprinkled like salt at dinner and too often seem like generic placeholders. But when decisions and time horizons are framed in terms of “7 Generations”, things change – eyes open. It doesn’t matter if you are an attorney, entrepreneur, accountant, or marketer – help your clients understand and achieve their short-term goals but also help them try and see decisions through a much longer lens – a lens looking 7 Generations down the road. Maybe, just maybe, framing the issue this way changes a decision for the better. Maybe, just maybe, one more view makes all the difference.