Larry O’Donnell just may make you tear up—but in a good way. A few weeks ago the president and COO of Waste Management went undercover in his own firm for the NBC television show Undercover Boss. Larry posed as a new hire and rode along on a garbage truck, worked in a landfill, and struggled to keep up at a recycling center. It was one of the most touching television experiences in a long while as this boss saw firsthand how hard his people work, and how the decisions he makes in the corporate offices affects those on the front lines.
Here’s a link to the show.
If you can make through the reveals at the end without getting a little misty eyed, you are tougher than me.
Larry’s candor during his week in the field—showing the good and the bad—intrigued the business media as well. Last week my colleague Tom Mayer gave me a heads up that Larry was going to be on CNN. Larry had this to say about his employees: “They want to feel appreciated when they do a good job. They want to be recognized and they want to have a voice. And if you can create the type of culture and environment where people want to be there, it`s more than just showing up for a paycheck, it can be very powerful, not only for the company, but you can create a work environment where people want to be a part of the team.”
Amen Larry. As we illustrated with the 200,000-person study in our book The Carrot Principle, organizations that effectively recognize great work are up to three times more profitable than those that are ineffective. Seems like Larry O’Donnell and Waste Management are on their way to building a stronger culture, and strategic recognition and employee engagement are going to be keys to their success.
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