The art of the message

摘要

WHEN PAUL O'NEILL became head of Alcoa in 1987, he wanted employees to know one thing: Safety wasn't a "priority," it was a precondition. It was a bold idea. But the words weren't what caught people's attention. O'Neill made safety the primary mea- sure of leadership performance. Accountants were told not to equate finances with people. For managers, there would be no excuses for poor safety - even budget. If something was a hazard, it was to be fixed, period. O'Neill gave labor leaders his home phone number and told them to call day or night if managers were not living up to these expectations.