Small Business Hawaii | Volume 24 Number 9 | September 1999
 By Richard Rowland I did not know Jean Fukuda well enough. My loss. I attended her memorial service; at 10:A.M. Sunday July 18th at Hosoi Garden Mortuary: my gain. Standing room only, a large chapel. Lots of people were very close to Jean. Several spoke. Over ten years of acquaintance I had enjoyed her bright smile, quiet, positive attitude, solid values, and always helpful disposition. Now I found out that she had lived with incessant physical pain for some thirty years, and had decided to forsake conventional medical treatments for most, if not all, that time. Instead, she chose to govern her own treatment. But she did it unobtrusively. Not a strident bone in that slim body. And, she spent lots of personal time and money attending to those in need of help, solace and support. Through it all was the pain. But I and most others never knew. She hid it gracefully, seemingly effortlessly. It was a private matter. She was a private, self-governing person. She led and led well by example, not by lecture. My favorite poem fits Jean like a glove:
Isn't it strange
Each is given
And, each must Fashion
A Stumbling Block
Contrast her legacy with that of a local politician I know. He says he cares deeply about those in our community who are in need of care and support, so he works hard to get legislation enacted to demand money from you and me to help them via a careless bureaucracy. He talks loudly and unceasingly about how much he cares, but he never devotes personal time or money where his mouth goes. His personal family life is a shambles due to neglect and hate-filled actions. His specialty is governing others. Heaven forbid he should govern himself, there is simply no time for that. Besides, self-government requires accountability and accepting responsibility and that's very uncomfortable. Much easier to build laws and rules for others to obey, and if they don't work, add more, and more. He builds Stumbling Blocks. Jean and her husband, Wayne, have a retail store, "Something Special". A week or so before her death, a school classmate of Jean's visited the store. She was startled to see that Jean did not look well. She suggested that Jean make an exception to her stated principles and go visit a doctor. Jean's response, accompanied by her trademark bright, outgoing, helpful smile was something like, "You don't understand, I am not afraid to die, if it is my time, it's ok". Jean was content with her construction. If you did not know Jean, you lost out. But now that you have read this, you have gained "Something Special".
And step on it...often. See you there on JEAN'S STAR.
 By Helene Robin, HR2 Consulting As Hawaii's depressed economic situation persists and lay-off occurs, employers are less able to meet the growing demands of their employees. We are likely to see more labor discord and growing problem of violence in the workplace. Violent crime has spread to the places where we work - offices, schools, factories, post-offices, hospitals and fast-food restaurants. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, homicide is currently the second leading cause of work related deaths in the United States. In 1992, 750 men and women died at the hand of rage-filled co-workers. 110,000 incidents of violence that did not result in death cost American business approximately $4.2 billion. Victims of violence crimes sued employers for not providing safety precautions. The best means of protecting corporate assets against this serious threat are prevention and preparedness. Companies should attempt to reduce the risk of violence by developing a prevention program and training. Training your employees to recognize and report warning signs, dealing with stress, disgruntled workers or ex-employees and domestic violence that can spill over into the places of work. It could be the most crucial training of their lives. For more information call HR2 Consulting at 526-000 or 373-4444.
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