Barry-Wehmiller’s response to the economic downturn of 2008-2009 was a watershed moment in the history of our company.
It affirmed our journey of Truly Human Leadership, that had really just begun. It brought our people closer together and it encouraged us to determine the steps to take to become a genuinely caring organization.
It also reaffirmed that putting our people at the center of our purpose was the right thing to do.
Gerry Anderson, the Executive Chairman of DTE Energy, had a similar reaction to the economic downturn of 2008-2009. However, for him and his company, it was the beginning of a radical transformation of their thinking about people and purpose.
You can hear Gerry’s story, along with some thoughts from me, on this final part of our series on Higher Purpose on the Everybody Matters Podcast.
In a blog post written at the beginning of the year, I asked readers to re-examine the purpose of their business and their purpose as leaders. In the months since, we have seen an unprecedented crisis affect the entire world. There have been many difficult decisions made, and many still to make.
How has your higher purpose affected those decisions? How is it guiding you today? How have those decisions affected your people?
The care we, as business leaders, show to our people today will determine the world of the future. As we have seen in these difficult times and as we try to move forward, we still have the opportunity to give joy and happiness to the people of this world by giving them an opportunity to discover and express their gifts and knowing that who they are and what they do matters.
That is the purpose we as leaders should work toward every day, crisis or no. I hope this series on higher purpose has strengthened your resolve to make this a reality for everyone.
If you’ve missed the other episodes in the Higher Purpose, listen here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three.