Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something.
The trade delegation from the Mexican embassy persuades you to move your plant to Monterrey. The numbers are overwhelming. Your institutional investors will love it.
Be a leader. Instead of having your EVP of manufacturing flanked by your CFO make the announcement at an all hands meeting on the production floor, go see at least a few workers separately at their homes.
Ask them to gather their family in the kitchen and explain to them why you have made this decision—shipping their job to a guy in Mexico who is happy to get paid in a day what they make in an hour. The savings is going to the company’s financial statement which means the next quarterly earnings call with the institutional investors will be a cakewalk.
As you leave, you see framed photos on the wall of the worker receiving an award from you for team leadership. As you drive away, you can’t shake the look on the face of the employee’s daughter who just heard from you that her college dreams are over.
Frankly, you are thankful, the employee didn’t ask you if Ralph, your EVP who runs the plant is keeping his job or will it also be taken over by a Mexican manager. You know Mrs. Ralph would never move to Mexico and to replace Ralph with a Mexican would really upset your management team. That you could shed a $200,000 salary for a $30,000 is tempting, but Ralph’s been with you for years and done a good job. Besides, you see him in the elevator every day.
Admit you’re doing this for yourself, to keep your position secure.
It’s lonely at the top, and sometimes the other guy’s shoes hurt.
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