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With talks of reopening plans afoot this week, along with stories of workplace infections & good and bad tales of support by owners, I want to share some thoughts on operating a workplace in the #COVID19
A thread if you will indulge me
A thread if you will indulge me
The last few weeks have been as dynamic as any I’ve ever experienced in business to date.
Having to make quick decisions that prioritize workplace safety and immediately affect operations, revenue, financial resiliency.
And hoping that you’ve got it right.
Having to make quick decisions that prioritize workplace safety and immediately affect operations, revenue, financial resiliency.
And hoping that you’ve got it right.
We spend far more time thinking about designing a safe and supportive workplace these days than we do in figuring out how to sell beer
Some of our staff are dedicated to figuring out the sound public health advice.
Some focus on distilling the various support programs.
Some of our staff are dedicated to figuring out the sound public health advice.
Some focus on distilling the various support programs.
I came across this article yesterday and I immediately felt gratitude - gratitude that I am surrounded by many people smarter than I at 9ML
I encourage every business leader to develop this bench strength, whether internally or externally. https://www.fastcompany.com/90491451/why-every-business-leader-will-need-their-own-dr-fauci-before-we-return-to-work
I encourage every business leader to develop this bench strength, whether internally or externally. https://www.fastcompany.com/90491451/why-every-business-leader-will-need-their-own-dr-fauci-before-we-return-to-work
Having access to good information and advice doesn’t mean we don’t make hard decisions at 9ML (you do this always in biz). But it means we make informed decisions. And that to me is most valuable.
Another business example I’m drawing on lately is @Starbucks and the article below. I read this and was proud that many of the things we’ve been able to maintain or put in place are reflected here.
An example in my view to emulate and I share it as such. https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/starbucks-ceos-letter-to-employees-about-covid-19-is-a-master-class-in-emotional-intelligence.html
An example in my view to emulate and I share it as such. https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/starbucks-ceos-letter-to-employees-about-covid-19-is-a-master-class-in-emotional-intelligence.html
On the other hand, there are many examples of unsafe workplaces in the media these days.
I’m not going to spend any time discussing them, save to say that there are lessons there too - and we would be foolish not to dig into them with equal furor as those positive examples.
I’m not going to spend any time discussing them, save to say that there are lessons there too - and we would be foolish not to dig into them with equal furor as those positive examples.
You may recall when we started down this COVID path, we committed to 3 principles
1) figure out how to do what we do
2) prioritize safety in all things
3) be open to reflecting and adjusting as the situation changes
1) figure out how to do what we do
2) prioritize safety in all things
3) be open to reflecting and adjusting as the situation changes
These principles have resulted in us constantly planning for when (not if) we experience an infection at 9ML.
We spend an inordinate amount of time designing resilient operations if, as probability suggests, we experience a workplace infection scenario.
We spend an inordinate amount of time designing resilient operations if, as probability suggests, we experience a workplace infection scenario.
We’ve always had good sanitization procedures and minimal contact. But they can always improve. I call it COVID Kaizen.
This week we mandated cloth face masks (thanks mom!) and designated bathrooms for specific work pods (to minimize cross over of staff touch points).
This week we mandated cloth face masks (thanks mom!) and designated bathrooms for specific work pods (to minimize cross over of staff touch points).
Our current project is refining our post-infection procedures to ensure that, if we have an infection, we can prioritize protecting our team and you. If we cannot, we won’t operate.
The clock will tick in such a scenario and we will need to be prepared. So we invest in it.
The clock will tick in such a scenario and we will need to be prepared. So we invest in it.
Which brings me to tonight. If at some point our public health orders permit us to open for onsite service or modify our operations and we consider it unsafe - we will not do so.
We will instead trust our public health professionals, our analysis and prioritize safety.
We will instead trust our public health professionals, our analysis and prioritize safety.
I don’t suggest for a second that a reopening plan is irresponsible. I am very big on planning haha. I just want to encourage all of you to be rigorous in your decision making. Don’t rush to reopen if you can’t do it safely, no matter the cost.
These aren’t easy times for business owners but, in other ways, they are made much simpler.
Prioritize your people.
Prioritize community.
Prioritize safety.
Prioritize your core values.
The money will figure itself out if so.
Prioritize your people.
Prioritize community.
Prioritize safety.
Prioritize your core values.
The money will figure itself out if so.
In my observation, COVID has this way of showing each other our true colours and underlining what value actually means.
If you see a business hustling, making smart decisions, acting with empathy, protecting its people, caring for neighbours - remember that. Carry it with you.
If you see a business hustling, making smart decisions, acting with empathy, protecting its people, caring for neighbours - remember that. Carry it with you.
This matters most of all.
Conversely, if you see business owners putting their staff in unfair positions, acting predatory towards the misfortune of other businesses, making decisions that do not accord with your values, remember that too.
In vino veritas. In COVID veritas?
In vino veritas. In COVID veritas?
This is the time to prioritize people.
Without people we don’t have a business, we just have a couple of guys making beer.
We don’t have a community, we just have a store front.
We don’t have an industry, we just have consolidation.
Without people we don’t have a business, we just have a couple of guys making beer.
We don’t have a community, we just have a store front.
We don’t have an industry, we just have consolidation.
So to perhaps simplify things, I turn to the great @Kurt_Vonnegut
“There’s only one rule I know of, babies - goddamit you’ve got to be kind” (and safe I would add)
“There’s only one rule I know of, babies - goddamit you’ve got to be kind” (and safe I would add)
For the record, @9milelegacy is doing fine - the crew is hustling and engaged, we see a great future through the clouds and we are all safe and infection free.
Just ruminating on the best and worst case scenarios as we keep moving through the resilience period...
Just ruminating on the best and worst case scenarios as we keep moving through the resilience period...
Now it’s a beautiful night, get off your phones and go sit in the yard away from everyone else!
