Think Corporately. Act Departmentally.
The Business of Business Climate Change.
As managers, we are often at the mercy of the business climate. The temperature we walk into our first day is the temperature to which we acclimate. And historically, the glacier-like pace of change is a big business truth.
When revenue is flowing in, the wind blows fresh and clean and makes us all take notice, take a deep breath, and drink it in. Marvel at what a beautiful workplace we have.
And we think nothing of what’s to come or what our actions may cause down the road. Much like we handle the global climate crisis, we see our small contributions as insignificant. But, if we multiply that by billions, or in our case 20 or so, seemingly trivial actions, the results are devastating.
> On climate change, used as a metaphor for this article, Theron Plummer writes in a post for Practical Ethics:
“Here, and now, is where we live. We don’t think, or feel, globally. We don’t worry about others as much as we worry about ourselves. And we don’t worry about the future as much as we worry about the immediate.”
But when we are alerted trouble is coming - either by upper management or the nearby mill that churns out rumor pollution, we are sent into a tizzy. Panic ensues, and we are like woodland creatures fleeing a forest fire.
Survival of self is the only thing that matters.
Those who are not immediately consumed by the chaos become activists, appalled by those who don’t share their global citizen approach to the changing corporate climate. As if they saw it coming the entire time.
These corporate environmentalists chant:
“Do you know the departmental impact of that purchase order?”
“How many FTEs have to suffer for your uncontrolled spending?”
“Think Corporately. Act Departmentally.”
But what if we prepared better when the air is cool and crisp? Before the fires start burning and the glaciers start cracking? What if we have the honest discussions early about the inevitability of change? What if we built this into everything we do?
How do we do that as managers?
Be engaged in the business and build a culture around the reality of corporate change. Show your team how every individual can make an impact and how it benefits the whole and not just the individual.
Be honest with everyone. The pace of change may be glacial, but those glaciers are melting away. If you see something on the horizon, it is better to prepare your team first.
Be future-focussed always. Every short-sighted action taken today has a long-lasting impact on tomorrow.
Rather than being surprised by the flames of change, we can create a local climate that is engaged, honest, and ready for whatever the winds blow in.
Corporate climate update: Due to the changing global climate, the glacier metaphor may no longer apply.
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At LaineGabriel, we specialize in the art of employee happiness, building cultures in step with the brand, and an unwavering focus on your "why."
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Cover Photo by Joanne Francis on Unsplash