First Word

by Scott Madison Paton

Invest in Yourself

A popular commercial a few years ago featured an elderly woman who fell down and couldn't get up. Fortunately, she was wearing a communication device that allowed her to call for help. Although the commercial has been widely ridiculed, I doubt that many elderly citizens who live alone found the commercial humorous.

The increasing numbers of news reports of massive layoffs or bankruptcies clearly illustrate that many organizations in this country (some quite "elderly"; some quite young) face a similar plight: They've fallen and they can't get up.

Who do they turn to for help? What's their lifeline? Will quality alone save them? Is reengineering the magic bullet? Should we resurrect management by objectives? How about some protectionist trade policies a' la Pat Buchanan?

What's to be done about all of this? Before we look for the answer, maybe we should look for the cause. And just how widespread is the problem anyway? After all, the stock market (as of this writing) has never been higher. Interest rates are low. Employment is relatively stable. And inflation seems as far away as Watergate, gas lines and bell-bottoms.

Isn't capitalism about survival of the fittest? Shouldn't dynamic companies replace outdated ones? It may be true that Charles Darwin and Adam Smith had parallel theories. However, while Darwin's theory relies on inbred instinct, capitalism (and especially democracy) require the participants to be well-informed, conscientious citizens mindful of the common good.

How can we see reports of rising teen pregnancy, 13-year-old drug dealers and skyrocketing illiteracy rates and think that the corporate world is immune? Where are the learning skills, the ethical skills, the social skills, the creative skills, the morals that organizations need to survive, prosper and grow?

What's all this got to do with quality? Plenty. I want to know that when I board my flight for Chicago that whoever designed, built and serviced its thousands of parts was not merely competent but a contributing member of society.

This goes far beyond designing, building or servicing something so that it meets specifications. It means being there on time, every time. It means coming up with innovative ideas. It means resolving problems before they occur. It means caring for co-workers, families and the community. And if you think these things don't matter so long as the product gets out the door, then explain why homicide is the No. 2 cause of death for women in the workplace. (It's No. 4 for men.)

It's easy to acknowledge that people are an organization's most valuable-and often most expensive-asset. We must remember, however, that people are also products of their environment and their workplace.

There's a much-used acronym in computer lingo: GIGO. It means garbage in, garbage out. If our workers don't care about their fellow man, how can we expect them to care about our products, our organization or our customers?

So what can you do? Invest in yourself. Take the time to fund your spiritual, emotional and physical accounts. Give of yourself to the community, in whatever manner best suits you. And allow and encourage your employees to do the same.

None of these actions will hurt you. They might just help you to be a happier, healthier, more valuable employee (and person, too). An added benefit: The next time you fall, somebody might just be there to help you up.