How Do Great Companies Make Sure People Are Living the Values?

Huffington Post, September 9, 2009 — Each September the RBL Institute (full disclosure: as an RBL partner, I am a director of the Institute) hosts the chief HR officers of member companies in a two-day retreat hosted by RBL Group founder and University of Michigan Professor Dave Ulrich. This year, we were joined by 20 senior HR executives from well-known and respected global companies such as Intel, The Gap, Accenture and PNB Paribas. Whenever you bring insightful, worldly, HR executives together, the conversation is bound to be enlightening. And, one of the more interesting exchanges was values: how organizations ensure that employees at every level, in every function, and around the world know and live the values

McDonald's Gets McBetter

For McDonald’s, McActions speak louder than McWords.

Hub, March 16, 2009 — Nearly six years ago, McDonald’s was vilified in the Fast Food Nation bestseller and in the documentary, Super-Size Me. And, it was held responsible — if not personally — for obesity in this country and globally by nearly every media commentator and activist group.

Today, McDonald’s is enjoying 55 months of global same store sales increases, stock value gains, and positive movement in the Reveries.com survey. What was essential to McDonald’s success was a rededication to its brand’s core values. The big turning point for McDonald’s came with a change in mission. It was no longer about being the best or biggest quick-serve restaurant.