Happy Friday! Here are my July 26 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing leadership or culture.
Hot Topic 1: The Fight Against Evil Companies.
Source: The New York Times.
What It’s About: “It took me a while to realize how evil this company was.” That’s a quote by Ed Bisch, who lost his 18-year-old son, Eddie, to an OxyContin overdose in 2001. Bisch was an early crusader against the dangers of Oxy. Years later, the world now knows just how dangerous this drug and other opioids is. Purdue Pharma, the company that made OxyContin, is in legal and financial jeopardy . (Although most observers believe the owners, the Sackler family, and company will never adequately pay for the harm they’ve caused).
Why It’s Important: Until 2018, Google had a motto that a lot of people appreciated: “Don’t be evil.” Dropping it has been controversial. The fact is that sometimes, when market power prevails and the money gets so big, greed and avarice can take over. That’s why Boards of Directors and executive leadership must invest in a strong culture, where both purpose (that betters humankind) AND profit, (that sustains and reasonably rewards stakeholders) are equal partners. I’ve never had a serious conversation with anyone who wants to sell their soul to work for a company whose products intentionally hurt people, regardless of how big the paycheck.
Hot Topic 2: Closing the Joy Gap at Work.
Source: Harvard Business Review.
What It’s About: Prominent consulting firm AT Kearney conducted a major survey relative to the concept of joy at work. Why? With all the massive upheaval driven by exponential change, being able to create conditions for joy is strategically meaningful. Still, their findings “point to a pronounced ‘joy gap’ at work. Nearly 90% of respondents said that they expect to experience a substantial degree of joy at work, yet only 37% report that such is their actual experience.”
Why It’s Important: This is another argument for intentional culture development. The survey suggests the importance of three big JOY drivers: Harmony, Impact and Acknowledgement. This makes a lot of sense and connects to a number of my 10 Key Elements. Creating conditions for JOY to erupt is worth investing in. What are you doing about it?
My Weekly Wine Recommendation (Thanks to Vivino):
Kent Price Venant du Coeur Napa Valley 2012.
[Picture and ratings provided by Vivino.]
And finally! Here’s Cecil’s Bleat of the Week!
“The best way to win at a game of chance is to remove chance from the equation.” – Daniel Silva.
Bye for now!
– Lorne Rubis
Incase you Missed It:
Monday’s Lead In podcast.
Tuesday’s blog.
Also don’t forget to subscribe to our site, and follow Lorne Rubis on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter for the latest from our podcasts, blogs, and all things offered on LorneRubis.com.