Business as Usual: An Open Letter to the Corporate World

"It's nothing personal. It's purely business," you say. That's complete BS. To you, maybe. But to the people whose livelihood you took, whose future you made uncertain and whose world you just turned upside down, it's very personal. The least you can do is afford them the courtesy they deserve. Accept they're hurting. Acknowledge your role in it. Reach out and make them feel you once cared (you did right?). I get it that it's a business decision. But I'd like to believe that in this corporate jungle of cost-benefit analyses, margins for profit and sound investments, values like loyalty, hard work and leadership still count for something.

"It's nothing personal. It's purely business," you keep on saying. Funny, isn't it? A while back  you were telling a totally different story to these very same people. "We're more than just a business. We're a family." Whatever happened to that? Or did they miss out on the terms and conditions? Conditions that state us being a family is only up until a clash of interest is reached, in which case you will put yours above theirs, their lives be damned.

"It's nothing personal. It's purely business," you harp on. Still you demand commitment, loyalty and trust. Still you manage to look at them in the eyes and smile. Still you stand in front and make a 10-minute speech on how much you care.

Yes this is a direct attack to your character (or lack thereof). This is a challenge to your leadership. This is a statement to your callousness. But no worries, it's nothing personal. It's purely business.

The Woman Behind the Podium

"When you've worked hard, done well and walked through the doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed." - Michelle Obama

She's a woman of class and substance. I want to be like her when I grow up