In Their Shoes

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, WAS A DEFINING DAY IN THE LIVES OF SO MANY AMERICANS, AND GEORGE PARENTE WAS NO EXCEPTION.As someone who was working at the Empire State Building on the day of these attacks, George stared out his office window in horror as he watched the second plane strike the south tower. Prior to that day, George thought a lot about his career and the importance of making a name for himself in the financial world. But that dark morning was a turning point.As the following days after 9/11 unfolded, and George began to recognize some of the names of those lives who were lost in the rubble of Ground Zero, he came to this overwhelming realization: business is all about people. Yes, financial numbers are important, and the frills that come with success are wonderful. But at the end of the day, it's all about the lives of employees and customers that are touched through the process. For George, 9/11 forever shifted his view of leadership and compelled him to lead from the shoes of those he led.