Ignorance is No Excuse
by Miki Saxon
Have you been following the News Corp phone hacking scandal?
Obviously, as a corporate culture maven I find New Corp’s endemic culture fascinating—in much the same way that a snake fascinates a bird.
The phone and email hacking, dumpster-diving and snooping are disgusting in themselves, but it is Rupert and his son James’ denial of any knowledge despite extraordinary proof and testimony to the contrary that amazes me.
Moreover, I find the idea that ignorance excuses bosses from responsibility for the actions of their organizations to be ludicrous, whether country, conglomerate, company or team.
I felt that way when Nixon denied knowing about Watergate; when Reagan denied knowing about Iran-Contra; and when Beech-Nut President Niels L. Hoyvald denied knowing about the fake apple juice; the list goes on and on.
In my mind it doesn’t matter if the top person knew or not, because as top person he (a pronoun of convenience) should have known.
Claims of ignorance mean one of two things,
- the boss isn’t doing his job; or
- the boss is lying.
Either way, that person shouldn’t be boss.
Flickr image credit: rstrawser
