Art Koch's Profit Chain® Series

Avoiding Disaster

Volume 4 | Number 6 | June 2021

Let us begin our discussion with the fact that disasters are not a surprise and, therefore, can be avoided.

As most of you are aware, I live in South Florida, or more specifically, Miami. It's a beautiful area with sun-soaked beaches and bodies and a plethora of luxurious cars and boats to keep your lottery dreams alive.

Unfortunately, our paradise came to a screeching halt last Thursday morning when those of us who were fortunate enough awoke to the news of a condo collapse in our beautiful city.

Just 8 miles from my home, over one-third of the Champlain Towers South condominium building had collapsed! The video footage captured from a nearby security camera was numbing. It looked like a planned implosion - except for the fact that residents were peacefully sleeping in their beds. There are twelve confirmed deaths so far, with up to another 149 residents still unaccounted for; mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, partners, and friends have been lost forever!

These individuals had their lives ripped out from under them while they slept in their homes' safety and personal sanctuary. Let's pause for a moment to let that sink in…!    

This type of disaster is 100% avoidable when the early signs of these problems are addressed and not kicked down the road for the next person to fix.

The horrific scenes of the Champlain Towers personally hit home for me because of its proximity to my residence. I also live in a high-rise, every day, my very life depends on the decisions made by others.

As Operations Managers, Supply Chain Managers, or any leaders in many different professions, we assume the responsibility of being custodians for our employees' and customers' well-being. We cannot take this responsibility lightly. All early warnings of danger and distress must be addressed with the utmost urgency!

The presence of poor workplace safety, inferior product design, bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment destroys an individual's self-confidence and self-worth. It eradicates all attempts to build high-performance teams through inclusion and the importance of having everyone's voice heard.   

How do you determine if your organizational environment is conducive to building a thriving and inclusive culture? Below are nine warning signs indicating that the organization is not nurturing and developing internal talent effectively and finding the hidden geniuses within the organization.  If any of these conditions exist within the organization, then crucial work must be done to move the corporate culture in the right direction.

In the case of Champlain Towers, all indications point toward the argument that if the past homeowner's association Board of Directors and the Management Company had been proactive to maintain the building properly and to complete preventive maintenance, then 150 plus lost souls would be celebrating this July 4^th holiday with family and friends.

We know and understand the importance of addressing urgent problems, immediately implementing corrective actions, and building a thriving and inclusive culture. What can you do today, right now, to make sure your team is part of the solution so that everyone can enjoy the next holiday with their loved ones.