Chapter 102. Be Aware of Your Responsibilities

As a manager you have a responsibility to people on your team. You must make sure they don’t come to harm while they are in your care. You have to make sure they are safe, healthy, cared for, well fed and watered, comfortable, kept well away from hazardous substances and equipment, and that they wear suitable safety clothing if necessary.

Now you also have a responsibility to the environment in much the same way. You mustn’t do anything that is going to do harm, cause lasting damage, put anyone at risk of health or life, cause any land to be utilized in a worse way than it was before you came along. You don’t have to be an eco-warrior, but you do have a responsibility not to cause harm or damage. Can you put your hand on your heart and say your managerial role is “clean”?

You have to have some principles—that you won’t cause harm or damage. There has to be a line drawn—by you—somewhere, beyond which you will not go. You have to give something back. You have to be aware of what is going on around you. You have to be aware of what your industry contributes—or takes—from the environment.

This isn’t stuff from the fairies or the hippies or the karmic religionists—this is real stuff. The more you put in, the more you get out. Be good and sleep nights. It’s not a bad philosophy to live by and to manage with.