What does it mean to be intentional?  How can employers be more intentional about their corporate culture?  In 2011, NPR published an article called “Heroes of the Taj Hotel: Why They Risked Their Lives.”  

The article tells the remarkable story of employees of the Taj Majal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, India.  In 2008, terrorists attacked the hotel.  It was under siege for three days as men with automatic weapons took people hostage, killed others, and set fire to the hotel.

But during the siege, something extraordinary happened: instead of fleeing to protect themselves, employees of the hotel stayed to protect the guests.  Kitchen employees formed a human shield to assist guests who were evacuating and died as a result.  Telephone operators returned to the hotel after being evacuated so they could call guests and tell them what to do.  The general manager of the hotel worked to save people even after his wife and two sons died in the fire.

Nine months after the attack, a Harvard business professor investigated what could have possibly caused these employees to behave in this way.  His conclusion?  The hotel understood how important customer service was to its guests.  And it was intentional about recruiting and rewarding people who are good at it.

Instead of hiring employees with the highest grades or most impressive resume, the hotel recruited for the personal characteristics of respect and empathy.  The hotel also rewarded employees for kindness to guests.  The result?  A corporate culture that saved lives.

Companies, some say, are here for one reason and one reason only: to make money.  But a company’s pursuit of money is not going to inspire anyone to purchase its goods or services.  What inspires your clients/customers?  Is it good customer service?  A good product?  How can you align the characteristics of your employees with the values of your customers?  By being intentional about recruiting and rewarding people who are good at what your customers value, you may just create something that inspires people.