With my strong belief in the health benefits of diligent personal apathy, I hardly noticed the Stanley Cup riots. Riots for no reason happen only because they can. After years of training by the media, our police have learned the best response is no response because no matter what, they will always be wrong.
The Vancouver spirit is reflected in the joke about the two social workers encountering a bleeding, dying man with stab wounds. Both whispered, "the person who committed this horrible crime must have had a terrible childhood." When a Vancouverite hears hoof beats, she thinks "zebra." We're so focused on the fringe we don't see what matters.
Of course leadership helps. Mayor Gregor Robertson is the leader who can explain slowing traffic in favour of bike lanes. How you can buy a two million dollar home and your neighbour is raising chickens and wheat next door. How hockey, beer and 100,000 person street party are unlikely to be a problem.
You could look at Vancouver as your personal values stage or you could look at it as a corporation. One view would get you a riot, the other would build the economy. Learn how to hire and promote people who are mature enough to know what's important and what's about themselves. Neediness in management is very expensive. When executives shape policy with their egos, or let their values interfere with what's right, then companies suffer.
You might think it's so folksy to raise chickens. I don't. You might think it's cute to take your slippers and dog to work. I don't. Grow up. Problem is, these people are employed, making decisions for you and me!
Selecting people for their values is everything. Join our Best Practices for Managers group and learn how detect those employees who will turn your company into a chicken farm. Say no, to chickens at work. Welcome to Vancouver.
See you for breakfast,
Wolfgang
P.S. For a copy of my 21 recommendations on hiring, click through to
"A letter to a young manager, about the process of hiring people."
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