Aloha in the Blackout

The blackout of Waikiki and Oahu after the earthquake last week was an opportunity for Hawaii’s aloha spirit to shine, and shine it did. Thanks to the flexibility, adaptability and compassion of employees in our hotels and restaurants, all our visitors and local people were taken care of.

This was a great example of how people can change in an instant if they are motivated and if they are given the freedom to come up with their own ways of handling problems. Instead, most corporate change initiatives that come from the top down de-motivate employees and take away any opportunity for them to be part of the change.

No business executive can make all the decisions that have to be made in a crisis. They understand that and give employees rein to do what needs to be done. Imagine the corporate vitality if we created a system where employees could do that all the time!

Makana Risser Chai
CEOwww.HawaiianInsights.com