How to make hard decisions easier: a REALLY awesome Credo

After reading Johnson and Johnson's Credo, the first thought that came to mind was simply that it spelled everything out plain as day, crystal clear, no questions asked. While that may seem like a mundane and not so exciting afterthought, in the world of tough business decisions a credo like J&J's comes in really handy. Because their credo is so explicit, it makes tough decisions that much clearer for upper management at Johnson and Johnson. Take for instance, the Tylenol crisis. J&J acted quickly and decisively to recall possibly poisoned Tylenol in a very costly and damaging nation-wide crisis. Knowing the consequences of long-term brand reputation damage and costly recall, J&J didn't hesitate to act. Their actions were directly in line with their credo, their commitments to consumers laid out completely. When management is forced to make tough decisions with looming consequences, a credo that leaves no room for negotiation can be an extremely positive force for a company, even if it forces the company to make some not so welcome changes or decisions.