Good Comes First - There's no labor shortage. There's a respect shortage.

Driving Results Through Culture

Today’s video features Good Comes First book co-authors Mark Babbitt and Chris Edmonds (yours truly) discussing what it takes to build and sustain an uncompromising work culture. Here’s an excerpt.

Mark: “Let’s talk about this ‘old normal, new normal.’ What we’re doing with Good Comes First is creating a new normal or creating a means by which to generate a new normal. We don’t have to go back to a toxic work culture. One of the things we’re seeing in the news as we talk today is this concept of a labor shortage.

There is no labor shortage. There’s a respect shortage, and people don’t need to go back to work. Why go back to work if all you’re going to get is disrespect? If you’re going to have to work with a toxic colleague or worse, a toxic boss – the government has set it up now and eventually those benefits will run out.

Why go back to work if you’re less happy than you are sitting at home watching Netflix?”

Chris: “I think people can afford to be choosy. Some are in a different position with that, Some have a greater ability to wait two or three months. Even folks that are jumping in and taking what is available now, they’re looking for something more. They’re looking for a leader they can respect, a leader that inspires them, a leader that drives the company to serve others.

Those needs are not just post-pandemic. Now this is a team that I’m interested in, right? This is a purpose that I’m inspired by. But it also gets to the idea that younger generations are not inspired by some of the things that our boomer males – we talk about boomer male syndrome in the book – about old school thinking and procedures and systems and disrespectful treatment – and younger generations are simply not going to put up with that.”

This episode was first published in video form on July 19, 2021 on my website, Driving Results Through Culture.

This is episode three of our Good Comes First video series. You’ll find Good Comes First and Culture Leadership Charge episodes and more on my YouTube, iTunes, and Amazon Podcast channels.

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