We continue to hear dreadful news about the economy, jobs, housing, and the auto industry and the need for change. While there is some hopeful news about the stimulus package, good deeds like the U.S. Airways miracle and continued profitability of some strong companies, there is a feeling that our country, organizations, and individuals are not responding enough.
I argue that we continue to discuss legal, political and economic solutions rather than the deep rooted philosophical issues. This is evidenced by some of the following:
- Executives are still into excess rather than change. The President and the press had to embarrass Citi into canceling the purchase of a $50 million plane and the President of Merrill Lynch remodeled his office for $1 million while the company was imploding. What is worse is they try to justify these abuses and lay workers off rather than understand the realities and needs.
- We lack a real understanding of the problems and the impact of potential solutions. For example, while there is lots of talk about cutbacks, there is little about lending, investment or innovation. For example, if every American household went out and spent an extra $500, it would generate over $50 billion of new spending, which gets multiplied throughout the economy and creates stronger companies and less unemployment.
- We tolerate the lack of respect by people like the Governors of New York and Illinois in making Senatorial appointments a mockery. This is exasperated by the press, who loves the news opportunity, rather than being embarrassed to support this trash. As an example, the press was rampant with totally unsubstantiated stories about Caroline Kennedy’s potential affairs.
- Everyone is disgusted with health care and it isn’t just money. Doctors hate the bureaucracy, patients hate being ignored, misinformed or not informed at all, and hospitals just seem lost in terms of keeping costs down and providing service. In the meantime, there seem to be no goals to improve efficiency, service and prevention, which could dramatically improve the whole system.
- Finally, we have an insane culture that creates circumstances where even kids’ sports coaches allow excess training rules where even one athlete dies or run up the score to 100-0 against a basketball team with only 8 players from a school with kids who all had some disability.
What we need are some drastic and quick philosophical and psychological changes:
- In our corporate, political, and individual decisions, we need to consider the human and cultural impacts of our society. The U.S. Airways rescue is an example of what is needed. It was successful mainly because people were trained, did their jobs, and recognized the roles of the team. They also communicated among jobs, agencies and passengers to focus on getting the rescue done. Communication and teamwork could go a long way in getting things done better.
- We need to rebel and change what we know is wrong. Don’t support companies that don’t practice constructive behavior. Repudiate the people who are raping our society and glorify all the great examples in organizations, groups and the country.
- On a personal level, fully analyze what needs to change and how it can be done. There are lots of ways to save money, be healthier, accept some realities of a less affluent society and be a better citizen, friend and family member.
I will end with a personal example of how we can change. We bought our family a Wii Fit for the holidays. I showed up as overweight and my 7 year old granddaughter offered to help me lose weight. Unfortunately one of her tactics was to do my exercises for me. However the example illustrates key components of any change process: Recognition, goal setting, action and support.
