The Ethical Optimist

I read an interesting article about an ethics course state workers will be taking in Illinois.

According to the article:

More than 200 state employees are expected to take part in the ethics seminar at University of Illinois-Chicago. Featured speakers include agency heads, as well as speakers from Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s own office.

What shocked me about the story, were the comments from readers who felt that the training was a waste of taxpayer money.  For example:

What a farce! I can imagine the travel and per diem costs plus the course costs…can our money be better spent?? What fools we are for keeping these leaders in office…believe we can do better with Joe Citizen running the government…it wouldn;t be without mistakes, but I don’t believe they would be calculated mistakes…

To consider ethics training in government or business a waste of money is absurd…if the training is structured correctly.  Very often, people who work in government, business, non-profit, or any organization for that matter, break the rules inadvertently.  They learn to do things “the way they’ve always been done” and never really question whether or not they are acting ethically or legally.

Others are just unsure of how to file a complaint or make ethical issues known to those who can do something about them in an anonymous matter.

Ethics training often sheds light on both issues.  It gives guidance on what the rules are, where to find them, and how to raise a red flag when there is doubt.  

I’d rather see governments spend money on ethics training and reporting mechanisms than on $10,000 hammers.

I’m delighted to share some terrific news from the folks at GWU.  The School of Business has revolutionized its MBA programs through the launch of the first-ever curriculum in the country fully imbued with theories and practical applications on ethical leadership, corporate responsibility, and globalization.  The new Global M.B.A. and World Executive M.B.A. programs incorporate values, theory, and international residencies to produce ethical leaders primed for success in today’s global marketplace. 

Bravo! I’ve long advocated for this type of curriculum in business schools.  Values-based leadership skills need to be taught to our future business leaders if we are to change the status quo.

“We are not content with teaching business the way it always has been taught,” said Susan M. Phillips, dean and professor of finance. “The global business paradigm has shifted, and it is our fundamental responsibility at the GW School of Business to inspire students to act responsibly, lead passionately, and think globally. Our new M.B.A. curriculum will cultivate business leaders empowered with the knowledge and practical skills to navigate the complex global marketplace, from developed to emerging economies, and grounded with a solid value system of ethical responsibility and personal integrity.”   

You said it, sister!

“We believe that being a great business leader isn’t just about know-how, it’s about character,” said Murat Tarimcilar, associate dean of graduate programs and one of the chief architects of the new curriculum.  “Our graduates will both assume the role as managers and also the identity of leaders with high moral values and a strong understanding of the global environment.”

I have to tell you, this type of thought leadership is refreshing.  Again, while many schools feel they are grooming our future business leaders for success, few are aggressively promoting/requiring ethics as an educational component. 

For more information about GW’s School of Business, visit http://business.gwu.edu.

For more news about GW, visit the GW News Center at www.gwnewscenter.org.

A recent report on Reuters UK wire discusses an interesting problem plaguing Brunswick Group, an international financial communications firm.  Apparently, one of the firm’s partners discussed confidential information with her husband, who is a former Lehman Brothers salesman.  He, in turn, tipped off friends and relatives about 13 impending mergers.

The partner was suspended pending an investigation, but Brunswick must now deal with the aftermath and the issue of trust with its clients, who include Alcoa and Dow Chemical.

According to the article:

There will likely be a crackdown at PR firms with such sensitive news, not only on who has access to in formation but where and when they have access.

 

Most firms Reuters spoke with said they are taking a second look at their policies for handling information considering tighter restrictions on taking documents home and access to computer systems. Most had already sent out policy reminders to their staffers and are consulting with their lawyers.

The article notes that many IR firms mandate regular training on client confidentiality…or so they say.  I’m not buying it.  My experience is that new hires sign an agreement and never look at it again.  Ethics training at many firms remains a joke and doesn’t come into play until after a problem, when the lawyers get involved. 

In fact, many firms question the ROI of ethics training.  I doubt the folks at Brunswick would question it.  On Friday, Dow Chemical suspended using the firm’s services. 

In a business where reputation is your bread and butter, ignoring or half-assed training on ethics and policy is foolhardy. 

Funny thing that I was speaking earlier this week about the Emporer’s new clothes, especially in light of the Sarah Palin wardrobe debacle.

What got me going was an article titled, “Wardrobe Malfunction’ Issue Hits GOP — But Fashion Experts Say Palin’s Top-Dollar Duds Are ‘A Necessity”.

Sorry, but having been in this business for a long time, I have trouble taking the fashion press or fashion experts too seriously. After all, anyone who says $150,000 is a necessity for a candidate’s wardrobe during an economic crisis needs a reality check.

The expense “doesn’t seem frivolous to me,” says Simon Doonan, creative director at Barneys, a stop on Palin’s shopping trip.

Of course a guy selling clothes at 1,000 percent markup isn’t going to see it as frivolous. He’s in the business of ridiculous.

“When you think about costumes for literally every day of the week, for a couple-month period, it’s not outrageous,” says Susan Scafidi, who teaches fashion law at Fordham Law School.

What is shocking, Scafidi says, is the context. “When you see that number in the middle of a credit crunch” and consider the irony of “spending enormous amounts to reach ordinary people” for whom $150,000 is probably more than a year’s salary, the spree is “a political disaster,” she told USAT writer Olivia Barker.

Look, there are millions of high-ranking working women who’ve figured out how to look great on a budget. Several fashion pundits said she looked like a train wreck before she got her $150K makeover, but frankly, I can’t tell the difference. I would imagine that the average voter couldn’t tell either.

What the average voter can tell, however, is when a party or candidate is speaking out of both sides of their mouth. To say you identify with Joe Six Pack and you understand the struggles of putting your kids though college etc, and then have a headline blaring you spent $150,000 on your clothes, is credibility suicide.

The saddest part of this story, and one that is downplayed, is the fact that her wardrobe is a central issue in the first place. I don’t see too many folks talking about what the guys are wearing.

That said, this is a lesson for all in our profession. Actions have to back up messaging. When decisions are made, at every level, you have to ask yourself…if this came out, what would my mother say? How would the headline read? If you’re looking to connect with average Americans, you have to think like them.

A smart stylist would have made her look like a million bucks for considerably less and then touted the accomplishment. It would have played much better to the public.