Review: Strengthening Financial Security

The analysis just presented locates financial security squarely within the management of social life. Financial security, which means a continuity of prospering, is not simply a matter of financial strength and wealth management, as so often presented. Instead, it appears to extend from care for the smallest group of friends to the concern for the wider community; from diligent expert work to engagement with innovations and alien perspectives.

There is a close link between financial security and social position and status which will be further examined in this review section.

Recap

Prospering commences with being financially self-supporting in mode-1 : Stage-1 by applying market-centred principles.

There are then two Cycles each of which progressively increase status and help to secure prosperity.

  • Cycle-1 focuses on winning esteem and gaining a good reputation within your social milieu: initially by building strengths (mode-2, then by becoming an expert (mode-3) and finally by supporting your social milieu (mode-1),

  • Cycle-2 focuses on future risks to socio-economic security by preparing for future eventualities within your social milieu: initially by forming lasting relationships (mode-5), then by analysing via diverse viewpoints (mode-6), and finally by facing socio-economic realities mode-7.

Oscillating Duality

The trajectory is primarily driven by social competition (which is external) and personal ambitions (which is internal). However, transitions from one Stage to the next appear to alternate between being externally (milieu)-driven and internally (psychologically)-driven, as explained in the Cycle review below.

■ The transition from Stage-1 ► Stage-2

This move is primarily externally-driven by current or threatened stresses and dangers to your economic position.

In Stage-2, power-centred principles help you to be brutally realistic about what is required..

■ The transition from Stage-2 ► Stage-3

This move is primarily internally-driven by the desire for monopoly of a niche.

In Stage-3, cause-centred principles help you to find a specialist activity that evokes your natural enthusiasm and passions.

■ The transition from Stage-3 ► Stage-4

This move is primarily externally-driven by your dependence on your social milieu.

In Stage-4, community-centred principles help you to obtain unprompted social support.

■ The transition from Stage-4 ► Mode-1 is a spontaneous move back to market-centred values given the cumulation of values in the previous Modes, and this enables you to use your hard-won reputation for financial gain.

■ The transition from Stage-4 ► Stage-5

This move is primarily internally-driven by recognizing that genuine long-term relationships can tide you over bad times.

In Stage-5, kinship-centred principles help you to build trust and loyalty.

■ The transition from Stage-5 ► Stage-6

This move is primarily externally-driven by social changes and developments that introduce new ideas and methods.

In Stage-6, perspective-centred principles help you to learn about alien approaches and analyse in their terms.

■ The transition from Stage-6 ► Stage-7

This move is primarily internally-driven by the desire to see the evolving socio-economic future and not miss out or lose out.

In Stage-7, reality-centred principles help you to predict the future and commit to decisive action.

■ The transition from Stage-7 ► Mode-1 is a spontaneous move back to market-centred values given the cumulation of values in the previous Modes. At this point you have done all you can, and you should be able to maintain your prosperity and social position through thick and thin—God willing!

Compare to Career Development

The Spiral trajectory for strengthening status and prosperity has similarities to the career development trajectory originally developed. The focus then was on work in an organizational environment. Here, the focus has broadened to how a person lives in his community.

So the language shifts:

  • from working hard in a job → being self-supporting in a society,
  • from getting promoted → establishing a social presence.

If you revisit the Table showing career development principles, you can see that the requirement to harness yourself remains, but rather than harnessing others, the goal here is to harness your milieu. Also, the meaning of success and failure shifts to be far less critical.
ClosedMore

In regard to harnessing yourself, the various principles although still drawn from the interacting-for-benefit approaches are noticeably different in their demands and implications. Something similar applies in harnessing your milieu.

Summary of Values

See a summary of the proposed values and principles in the Table below.

Better viewing: Use browser zoom if needed.
Click on column headers to be taken back to original descriptions within the Typology.

FEATURES Mode-1
Market-c 		Mode-2
Power-c 		Mode-3
Cause-c 		Mode-4
Community-c 		Mode-5
Kinship-c 		Mode-6
Perspective-c 		Mode-7
Reality-c
Harnessing Yourself
Essence Be financially self-supporting Build strength Become a specialist Contribute to the community Form lasting relationships Analyse using various viewpoints Face socio-economic reality
Desired Effect Obtain a social presence Protect yourself Be recognized
as distinctive		 Gain unprompted social support Give and receive trust and loyalty Orient to what is emerging Offer full commitment
Means Earn a good living Develop resources Do what is meaningful Volunteer for social causes Interact around wishes & feelings Keep learning even if alien Attune to forces driving change
Harnessing Your Milieu
As a Group Use your contacts Work the social system Provide needed
expertise		 Cooperate and collaborate Enjoy being together Prepare for possible change See the biggest picture
As Individuals Believe in yourself Win respect Show solidarity with colleagues Strive for consensus Communicate openly Debate new ideas impartially Keep complexity simple
For Status Harness your talents Have more influence Deliver
excellent quality		 Support
fairness		 Show empathy and adapt Focus on what will work Make predictions

The features in mode-1 at the commencement of this growth trajectory become progressively refined as values from other modes cumulate. There are two re-entries into mode-1. The suggested alterations are shown in the Table below.

FEATURES Mode-1
Market-c 		Re-enter
Mode-1
Market-c II 		Re-enter
Mode-1
Market-c III
Harnessing Yourself
Essence Be financially self-supporting Use your reputation Maintain your status and wealth
Desired Effect Possess a social presence Opportunities are presented to you Opportunities are easier to identify
Means Earn a good living Earning is now easier for you Earning becomes more secure
Harnessing Your Milieu
As a Group Use your contacts Offer appropriate
leadership		 Benefit from your social position
As Individuals Believe in yourself Accept public
recognition		 Remain respectful and unpretentious
For Status Harness your
talents		 Develop your talents Master your
niche

Originally posted: 20-Jun-2025