I’m staying at a hotel this week while visiting a client. After checking in I found a note on the counter in the room that said: “Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, and to keep our guests and talent safe, we are unable to service rooms daily”. I get it: that seems to be a standard practice these days. But then I noticed there were no towels in the bathroom – so I went back to the front desk to ask for some and the night manager said that too was about Covid-19; to me, that’s pushing the Covid-19 excuse too far. Companies everywhere are using this excuse – long wait times on the phone, long lines everywhere, and more. These kinds of things are less about Covid-19 than they are about planning and execution. If companies are short staffed, they should cut back operations so that the customers they have don’t have to suffer bad service. Those are the choices they and their managers must make. Whatever they choose, they should plan accordingly, train what staff they do have how to do what’s needed, coach them appropriately, and be involved enough to make sure what they expect is happening. And thanking their employees for the work they’re doing under these unusually difficult circumstances. Today, more than ever, managers should not have to decide between doing good or doing well – they should be encouraged to do both because that’s what it takes to do things right. Don’t cut corners. Don’t make up stories. Don’t get stuck having to make false choices. Figure out what’s needed and make it happen. Do good and do well today.
Tim Cook (born 1960): American business executive who has been the chief executive officer of Apple Inc. since 2011
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