Michael McCain, Maple Leaf CEO
The terrible events of the Listeria outbreak and all the human tragedy resulting from it cannot be underestimated. My intention with this post is in no way meant to take away or belittle this reality.
But I would like to share with you how refreshing it was to see how the Maple Leaf Foods CEO Michael McCain handled this whole terrible situation.
You expect these guys to hunker down, point fingers, pass blame, play down the tragedy, and withhold the apology the families deserve – for fear of a legal consequence. Later, you expect them to disrespect the families of the victims – fight them tooth and nail in court – and certainly never apologize.
But not Michael McCain. He acted swiftly to pull the products, took immediate responsibility, held a press conference to apologize to the families and answer the hard questions – all the while genuine and sympathetic. Then, when it comes time to deal with the inevitable lawsuits, they are dealt with quickly and sincerely.
Not only is this approach refreshing, but it’s also good business. The hardnosed approach typical in these situations usually leads to nasty lawsuits that eventually cost these businesses far more (both money and reputation).
Michael McCain is a class act. If only we could say the same about all our politicians.
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