Ducks In A Row: Ethics and Execs
by Miki Saxon
With News Corp’s culture making headlines around the world (and links to plentiful to choose) I was reminded of something I read recently about a new ethics compliance study (free registration required).
The new outlook has permeated the boardroom. In fact, only 22% of ethics and compliance leaders worry about senior management’s ability and desire to demonstrate and promote ethical conduct. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents stated that promoting an ethical culture creates long-term value for the business.
In fact, 45% of respondents are concerned that middle managers are not as invested in ethics initiatives as their superiors.
Think about this; senior management is ethical, but the guys in the middle area are the problem.
Funny, in almost all the ethics cases over the last few decades it’s been senior management that was the driving force and found to be at fault.
Most people respond to the tone and example set by their leaders.
But too often the goals and the pressure to achieve them reflect an unwritten message from senior executives—use whatever means necessary, just get it done.
I’ve never seen any statistics, but I’ll bet that if middle managers are guilty of anything it’s going too far to produce the results demanded of them by their bosses who are, in turn, responding to Wall Street.
Flickr image credit: ZedBee | Zoë Power
