I wanted to personally thank you for the introduction of People First to Kimberly-Clark Professional. Your enthusiastic approach to leadership development and the awakening of the human spirit is contagious. We found the entire program to be valuable, both in the workplace and at home.
We all search for heightened business results, but when within your search you can truly impact and make a difference in the lives of your employees, you have accomplished far more than can be reflected on a P&L statement.
Since our certification, we have launched People First within our Customer service Organization, our Partnership Products division, our Marketing services group, and in April to our Administrative Assistant team. We are capitalizing on our momentum, and seizing the opportunity to reinforce People First principles every day.
I thank you for your time, your talent, and for PJ Bouchard. PJ was instrumental in setting the high energy tone each and every week. She connected with our team, and through her sincerity and strong conviction to People First, was able to pique the interest and lay the foundation for commitment in our leadership team. The two of you make quite a dynamic team — and a team that KCP will always celebrate our connection to.
What would corporate life be like if people came first, diversity was celebrated and everyone felt their work and ideas were appreciated? Would profits evaporate? Or would business performance actually improve?
The radical idea of "people before profits" actually results in healthier companies that perform better, according to People First® from People First International. This is definitely not just another motivational program. As our KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Sales & Marketing group found during the certification process, People First® involves approaching business from a different perspective.
We often get so caught up in brands, processes and profit projections that we lose sight of the fact that our people are our company. They're also the "face" of our company to customers, prospects and everyone else in the world.
People First® reminds us to genuinely value each person as an individual and to put people first – ahead of everything else. That means saying things that we find easy to say to our children but often find difficult to say in the workplace. Things like: Yes. Thank you. I need you. I believe in you. I'm proud of you.
As our group went through the 12-session certification, it was amazing to see people open up and respond to simple expressions of acknowledgment and appreciation. The key is that it has to be genuine. People First® philosophy emphasizes truth, wisdom and excellence in all things.
Starting with foundation values, we explored how to bring our values to life in our actions, empower employees to do the same, and create a legacy worth passing on.
Far from hurting profits, this philosophy creates an engaged, high-performance company culture that leverages the potential of every person, and makes it possible to attract and retain the best people. Improved profits are a natural result.
Even in a tough economy, these principles are strengthening our company as well as our business results. We now have energized teams of volunteers who focus on key program areas, and are determined to make People First® a continuing force at our company.
The reason is simple: it works. Today, our focus on people is a key element of our commitment to make KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* a great place to do business – and a terrific place to work.