When what’s good for business seems to be at odds with what’s good for society.
Society suffers when business practices are geared to maximize profit at the expense of what’s best for the rest of us. However, savvy leaders find ways to benefit both their enterprise and society at large.
Here’s one example. McDonald’s Jim Skinner, named 2009 CEO of the Year by a diverse committee of CEOs, heads a company emblematic of the very eating habits that have led the world down a fat-lined, slippery path toward higher and higher levels of obesity.
McDonald’s has long been a symbol for all that is bad about American eating habits. In fact, the company’s ubiquity is considered by some to be a major factor in America’s out-of-control obesity epidemic.
Many CEOs would have concluded that doing something about this was too much of a business risk since, after all, they were selling a lot of darn hamburgers. Skinner, on the other hand, changed the menu. By adding low fat items such as fruit, vegetables, and chicken, he found that – among other things – same store sales increased dramatically. Even more impressive: McDonald’s was one of only two DJIA stocks posting a gain at the end of 2008.
Sure, you can argue about the merits of McDonald’s and even their motivation. But this is still a prime example of how you can adjust your business to serve society better – and get rewarded not just psychically but in real dollars. That’s an order any smart leader would be wise to serve up.
