First Rule of Management: Take Care of Your People

"It is a person's moral obligation and social responsibility to protect a culture that provides an honorable and dignified place in which to work." - Arthur T. Demoulas, CEO Market Basket, August 28, 2014

I had the honor and privilege of serving local governments in Massachusetts for nearly 12 years. While serving, I observed, learned, grew into and finally became part of that region. And I learned (or relearned) many important life lessons. The golden rule always applies, we have far more in common with each other than we have differences, and my grandfather's first (and only) rule of management: Take Care of Your People.

One other thing I learned to do was to shop at Market Basket. Their prices were always cheaper, the selection was as good as other places and it just had an Old School kind of charm. I never knew exactly why their were so many employees, but many were there every time I shopped, year after year, always working and seemingly available to assist when you needed them.

If you have not observed what happened at this company this summer, then you are either not in New England or have not been reading much news. Because what happened was nothing short of a miracle. Market Basket - a 71-store regional grocery chain valued at approximately $3 Billion and employing at least 25,000 people - essentially shut down because its non-unionized employees and vendors walked off the job for nearly 2 months. Why? Because of a long-standing, long-simmering dispute within the Board of Directors and family which owned the company. One side pushed for higher profits, one side pushed for keeping prices low and compensation and benefits above average as has become the operational model for decades. And when the latter was forced out of power, the employees responded by boycotting their own jobs until the boss which had taken care of them was returned to his position as CEO. What ensued was "The Summer of Market Basket" to quote the Boston Globe and others - a family drama which played out in the papers and social media, nearly daily protests in front of stores, a large boycott by customers and vendors, appeals from politicians to resolve the dispute and store sales which plummeted in some cases 90%.

From a management perspective, take a moment and pause. 25,000 employees - right to work employees with no union protections or contracts - left their jobs with no guarantee of getting them back because of their loyalty to their boss. Most of the customer base boycotted and protested along side them. An entire community did not like what was happening and so it came together to peacefully protest it. And the most amazing part of this story? It worked. Today, "Artie T." as he is known locally, is back as CEO, and employees are back at work. It is a story of resiliency, of determination and of loyalty.

And I could not be happier or prouder of this result. For many reasons. But the management lesson here is crystal clear, and is my grandfather's voice coming back to me: Take care of your people. If you do, you can achieve anything. If you do not, you will achieve nothing.

And if you are in the New England region, or plan to visit, go and shop at Market Basket. They will need the business, and you will be taking care of their people.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Michael Walters Young