There was a homecoming yesterday at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. The U.S. Army base just up the road from those of us here in Nashville is a common homecoming destination for soldiers returning from various parts of the globe. Yesterday, however, was a different kind of homecoming because is was for Vietnam War soldiers. According to new reports, Ft. Campbell officials realized they had never given a proper homecoming to their Vietnam War soldiers, a ceremony common for soldiers returning home from war ever since then. The ceremony was a long time coming and it seems to have been both greatly appreciated and a necessary even if almost 40 years overdue.
So what does this have to do with your business and social media? Well, not much from a social media perspective, but a heck of a lot for business.
The main lesson here is that it's never too late to do the right thing. In some cases doing the right thing may be very private, and in other cases it might be public. The true measure of any organization is whether they are willing to rehash an old wound (both for them and other people) in order to make things right. I personally know of organizations that offended people many years ago but have never really apologized for it. They have probably assumed people moved on, and they're right, people have moved on, but it doesn't mean the offended individuals have forgotten. Time and distance from an unresolved issue provides the illusion of closure. It was obvious by the emotional reactions of those Vietnam veterans that even 40 years later the wounds are still very real today.
If your organization owes someone (or many people) an apology or thanks, don't hesitate to do it. You'll be saying as much to your community and employees about the type of company you are in addition to finally repairing a situation that had been left undone. It's never too late to do the right thing.