Copyright ©2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 7-1 Purity of Spirit: Tom’s of Maine __________________________________________________

Copyright ©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.

Publishing as Prentice Hall 7-1

Purity of Spirit:

Tom’s of Maine

__________________________________________________



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.



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



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



Spirituality-Inspired Business Philosophy

• 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.

Philosophies that influenced Tom’s of Maine’s culture

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



The Seven Intentions1. Connect2. Know Thyself, Be Thyself3. Envision Your Destiny4. Seek Advice5. Venture Out6. Assess7. Pass It On

www.saltwater.org



Organizational Design and Diversity

• Circle: the team, all are equal

• Triangle: the management, accountability, and decision-making

“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



“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



Any Questions?

Thank You



CreditsPower 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.



Documents

Copyright ©2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 7-1 Purity of Spirit: Tom’s of Maine __________________________________________________