Page 243 - Everything I Know About Business I Learned

Epilogue

valid and interesting question. Clearly, the business climate is
much different from what Ray and Fred and others found in the
1950s. Today, we are a much more litigious society, and prob-
ably more cynical as well. With corporate scandals in the news
on any given day, it seems that honesty and trust have become
so suspect. What’s more, much of what has been written on the
newest generation to hit the job market has not been compli-
mentary in regards to the work ethic and commitment to their
respective employers.
Yet, despite in these uncertain times, with volatile markets
and sweeping layoffs and when people may feel discouraged
about the ability to make a difference in the workplace, there
remains the potential for positive change. But it can only hap-
pen when leaders return to values—the kinds of values that
drove McDonald’s to the global power it is today. Whether you
run a global corporation, a region, a division, a five-person
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team, or a small business, these values apply. Develop your team
to serve as real partners, and together you will achieve more
than you otherwise could have on your own.
I believe that the values, principles, and core culture that
became McDonald’s are universal, in general. More than 53
years and three generations later, these traits have survived and
changed with the flow of both the business culture as well as the
needs and desires of consumers. So, one could argue, these char-
acteristics have stood the test of time. But more importantly,
these qualities, while perhaps not modeled as frequently as in
the past, are still evident and still have impact. Those who work
within the McDonald’s system, for the most part, enjoy what
they do, feel good about the product and services they perform,
challenge each other to continue to improve, and find both
reward and satisfaction in accomplishing these activities. That’s
universal. And these qualities can be applied to any size organ-
ization, group, or company. What’s more, they restore an ele-