Comments on: If They Can Do This, So Can We http://firehousezen.com/2010/05/03/if-they-can-do-this-so-can-we/ Brain Food for Mongo. Change management & leadership in today's emergency services. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:05:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ann T. Hathaway http://firehousezen.com/2010/05/03/if-they-can-do-this-so-can-we/comment-page-1/#comment-3630 Ann T. Hathaway Thu, 06 May 2010 15:22:21 +0000 http://firehousezen.com/?p=982#comment-3630 Dear Mick, I am at one with you that the right kind of exposure frequently melts a lot of the fear between hostile groups. Work was the advance guard in affirmative action. It was not always fair, to be sure. Over time, in small workrooms, people learned that others of different color could be helpful or did very fine work. The skills and limitations each had were well-known by all. Respect was accorded by skill and demeanor, and courtesy to all. That did not change the break-room divide. It did mean that our workroom hosted a monthly all you can eat buffet for nearly the entire factory. That workroom's solidarity flowered into an unbelievable generosity and prosperity--and pride. Ann T. Dear Mick,
I am at one with you that the right kind of exposure frequently melts a lot of the fear between hostile groups. Work was the advance guard in affirmative action. It was not always fair, to be sure.

Over time, in small workrooms, people learned that others of different color could be helpful or did very fine work. The skills and limitations each had were well-known by all. Respect was accorded by skill and demeanor, and courtesy to all.

That did not change the break-room divide. It did mean that our workroom hosted a monthly all you can eat buffet for nearly the entire factory. That workroom’s solidarity flowered into an unbelievable generosity and prosperity–and pride.

Ann T.

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