cleanthoughts Responsibility A All of the media attention the British Petroleum (BP) disaster has gotten since the Deepwater Horizon’s wellhead blew out on April 20 and eventually sank has resonated with the American public — and the rest of the world. While this will undoubtedly go down in history as one of humanity’s worst envi-ronmental disasters, it serves as a learn-ing opportunity for us all. BP was clearly not prepared for such an event, regardless of how much of a fluke this might have been. And, while it was not necessarily our responsibility, we citizens of the world were not prepared to deal with the fallout that ensued. By learning from BP’s mistakes, we can all strive to better prepare ourselves for any situation — no matter how far fetched — that may arise. In the JanSan industry, we have a gen-eral idea of the crises that may present themselves, and although we will likely never have to cap an oil well spewing mil-lions of gallons of black gold into the ocean, we will have to face some signifi-cant obstacles: Infection control, adopting sustainable initiatives, cleaning Jack from accounting’s coffee stain in the break room, etc. On another front, there is the accounta-bility issue. Tony Hayward, BP’s chief executive offi-cer (CEO), is accepting accountability for the actions of his company. While the argument can go either way as to whether or not his actions played a direct role in the blowout and subsequent blanketing of shorelines with tar-like oil, the fact remains that he is stepping up and going to bat for his employees — something I would expect from my superi-ors and trust you all would do for your subordinates. Accepting Publisher Matt Gallinger mgallinger @ ntpmedia.com Associate Publisher Micah Ogburn mogburn @ ntpmedia.com Editorial Director Rich DiPaolo rdipaolo @ ntpmedia.com Managing Editor Aaron Baunee abaunee @ ntpmedia.com Assistant Editor Amanda Martini-Hughes [email protected] Account Executives Susan Pierce spierce @ ntpmedia.com Pat Harrington [email protected] ext. 3159 ext. 3179 (516) 404-4532 ext. 3157 So, the next time a trash receptacle is not emptied or someone fails to properly train a new employee who makes a costly mistake like cleaning restroom fixtures with hydrochloric acid and steel wool, come forth and accept responsibility. We, as an industry — and as human beings — need to move past the shifting the blame trend and be held accountable for our actions. If you do something wrong or incorrect-ly, admit it and make it right. You, like many millions around the globe, may be furious at Tony Hayward and all of the employees at BP, but they are only human — and humans make mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and if we can all swallow our pride and admit that we have faults while striving to right our wrongs, we will all be better off. Give it a try: The next time you are wrong in whatever situation, apologize and take corrective action to ensure the problem is resolved and does not happen again. You might feel embarrassed at first, but you will gain the respect of your peers — and you just might influence others to be more prepared and accept responsibility for their actions. The alternative is an industry of finger pointers who are quick to pass the buck and let the next person in line find a solu-tion. 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Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Corporate General Manager Barry Lovette [email protected] Vice President of Operations Brent Kizzire [email protected] Chief Marketing Officer, Publishing Services Group Hank Brown [email protected] Vice President of Business Publishing Tracy Aston-Martin [email protected] Vice President of Finance Brad Youngblood [email protected] Director of Circulation & Fulfillment Delicia Poole [email protected] Associate Director of Circulation Brandy Pate [email protected] Honorary Advisory Board: Mike Adams, Greenfield, IN; Stephen Ashkin, Bloomington, IN; Jim Brewer, Arlington, TX; Laura Dellutri, Lenexa, KS; Ron Goerne, Bloomington, IL; Russell Kendzior, Southlake, TX; Don McNulty, Blue Springs, MO; Bob Merkt, West Bend, WI. Aaron Baunee, managing editor Send comments or thoughts on this topic or any other article that appears in CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® magazine, to [email protected]. CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management Online™ Service at www.cmmonline.com 4 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • August 2010
CMM – Archives Aug 2010: 4
