How (philosophy)

How is a philosophical framework for the changing role of behavior, governance, culture and leadership in contemporary society.

How was introduced by The New York Times best-selling book of the same name, written by Dov Seidman in 2007 and expanded with a foreword by former United States President Bill Clinton in 2011.

The philosophy has been cited as influential by Nobel peace prize laureate Elie Wiesel, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, and is frequently discussed in the New York Times. Since 2011, The HOW Column has appeared in Forbes and several international publications and ipreviously appeared in Business Week.How has been a presentation topic at the World Economic Forum, the United Nations and the Aspen Ideas Festival.

How refers to "how should" individuals and organizations behave, rather than "how can" they behave. Instead of thinking about behavior in terms of obeying rules, and whether behavior conforms to regulations, How advocates thinking about behavior in terms of values.

Since the world has become more transparent, connected and interdependent, especially because of communications technology, the How framework says that behavior matters more than it has in the past and in different ways. Individual behavior can affect the world much more than it has previously, for good or bad. It also can affect people and organizations far removed from the individual. The world is in an "era of behavior", according to How.

How argues that principled behavior provides a sustainable competitive advantage to people and organizations. Behavior provides a means of differentiation, even in circumstance where goods and services become commoditized. "Outbehaving" as opposed to just "outperforming" or "outproducing" has become a source of advantage.

How, when referring to behavior, means all ways that humans and organizations act and relate to one another, including with collaboration, sharing, extending trust and innovation.

In the The World is Flat, by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, How is number eight in his rules for the new world: "HOW you do things as a company matters more than ever."

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