The Long Tail of Arnnon Geshuri
by Miki Saxon
Some bad actions seem to have a much longer tail than others and are more personal.
The length of the tail also seems related to how much the breach affects “people like me.”
The proof of this is happening right now and playing out in social media. It started with the addition of a Wikipedia board member.
Nearly 200 Wikipedia editors have taken the unprecedented step of calling for a member of the Wikimedia Foundation board of directors to be tossed out. (…) “In the best interests of the Wikimedia Foundation, Arnnon Geshuri must be removed from his appointment as a trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation Board.”
Geshuri played a central role in the “no poach” scandal (where a number of top companies, like Apple and Google, agreed not to recruit from each other) that has had lasting effects on countless careers.
Although I’ve said many times that past performance does not predict the future and I firmly believe in second chances there are caveats.
One is that the the person agrees it was wrong, takes responsibility for their share of the action and accepts some kind of punishment — whether a monetary fine, jail time or just a public statement.
When it’s an ethical lapse, as in this case, I consider if the person should have known better — which Geshuri should have.
However, this wasn’t just an ethical lapse; both the scheme and his actions were illegal.
And there is no question that as a high ranking HR professional he did know it was both illegal and unethical and was in an excellent position to assess the long-term damage it would do.
Geshuri was actively involved along with facilitating others.
Therefore, I tend to agree with the editors that he doesn’t belong in an organization that runs of pure trust.
But I am just as sure he still has a great career path in most of corporate America, where they would understand (and in some cases even condone) what he did, as well as in politics, where both the criminal and civil breaches would just be business as usual.
Image credit: Myleen Hollero / Wikimedia Foundation
