Transparency & Community & “Over”communication & Excellence & H1N1
The H1N1 threat is the latest crisis to come our way, riding the back of ongoing financial mayhem. Step #1, ASAP, is talk-talk-talk. Action is, of course, the sine qua non of success—but right now comes the talk. And lots & lots & lots of it. In our companies of 6 or 66 or 666 people, we have to start a wholly transparent discussion about how we will deal with every aspect of H1N1. Our Commitment to Community must be spelled out—and what we will do under various circumstances must be debated openly and at length. The tough issues must be addressed head on—e.g., insuring that people know that staying home if there’s even a possibility of being sick with the flu is the ultimate white mark, not black mark. It must be made clear that an “all hands” commitment to dealing with the possible pandemic is the only worthy aim. And that we aspire to be a role model-shining light in our overall response.
I devoutly believe that long-term commercial excellence is a direct product of an enterprise wholly devoted to its people and its community; now is the time to define Excellence in response to H1N1—if it doesn’t come, hooray, but if it does it is an opportunity to demonstrate who we are and what we’re made of.
Think openness.
Think community.
Think excellence.