Obama Inaugural Address

I did a post yesterday about this and said that I might have more to say once more digestion had occurred on my part. As it turns out, I do have a little more to say, and I know that’s a surprise. Again, let’s consider some of what the new president said in a way that relates to the workplace.

Obama used the words “humbled” or “humility” at least twice, perhaps more. Such words are often used in speeches. They should be used or their meaning embraced in the workplace. I’m not sure that happens much, but it should, particularly right now.

He talked about responsibility. In our jobs, we should accept the responsibility we’ve been given, be willing to accept more for the good of the company and our fellow employees, and be willing to help coworkers when their responsibility weighs them down. Think about a workplace where everyone was focused on responsibility.

He talked about making hard choices and the mistake of putting off unpleasant decisions. The workplace can be a great ocean of procrastination, and that always leads to trouble. Contemplate a workplace where dealing with hard choices and making unpleasant decisions are an everyday occurrence by the leaders of the company.

He extoled the virtues of doers and reminded us of those who often work in obscurity. We have employees like that. We should take the time to recognize them.

He asked whether the government is working and, if not, what needs to be started and what needs to be stopped. Employment organizations need to work and be fixed when they don’t.

Finally, he urged a renewal of the old values of honesty, hard work, and fair play. I don’t know many workplaces that couldn’t use a dose of all three.