A Best of Barry: Finding trust within corporate decision-making

We're a jaded society. We're skeptical. When we hear of a lay-off or a downsizing, it usually implies that the corporation has a focus only on money. It usually implies that the corporation doesn't care about people.

Sometimes that's true. Often it's not.

A poorly run corporation will seek to survive at any cost--including its morals, its people and its reputation.

But the good corporation--and I think most are good--makes decisions the best it can at the moment given the information they have. They will make mistakes but they will make good decisions, too.

Here's an example: a corporation must downsize. It gives severance packages to its departing employees. Now they have a flat organization, meaning the remaining employees have greater responsibility and autonomy. The corporation empowers them to make decisions at their local level, to run their part of the business entrepreneurially.

If we interpret the above scenario skeptically, it may say:

The evil corporation is now asking more of people, paying less money and making more for themselves.

If we interpret it from a positive standpoint it says:

The corporation made some tough decisions. It trusts their remaining employees to a greater extent than ever and is giving them the chance to be successful.

Even if the corporation is good overall--if they don't communicate their message so the employees realize they trust them, there will still be plenty of skepticism.


Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
Originally posted 10/28/09
www.labov.com