The Right Stuff

Fifteen years ago, I was on a consulting project in the UK. It had to do with the nuclear generation business and the most exciting part of the work centered around privatization and the large nuclear liabilities that had to be addressed (costs to decommission facilties and the processing of the nuclear waste). The financial impacts were very large .. 3.5 billion pounds.
That was for a big change that hinged on the role of private industry and the public welfare. The senior executives then had an unfailing committment to safety and to do the right thing for the right reasons for all concerned … it was wonderful to experience their behaviors.
We’re all familiar by now that BP is changing chief executives and the have set aside 32 billion pounds (as a likely minimum) for the oil platform catastrophe. There’s much to be learned … but leadership matters, and the good ones still lead from the front. Often in adversity, the best ones step up and change the course of events. Mr. Dudley appears to have the right stuff. …