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.

NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman had a terrific article recently about the financial mess we’re in and some of the ethics behind it.

Friedman cites a book titled, “How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything in Business (and in Life).” Its author, Dov Seidman, is the C.E.O. of LRN, which helps companies build ethical corporate cultures.

Seidman basically argues that in our hyperconnected and transparent world, how you do things matters more than ever, because so many more people can now see how you do things, be affected by how you do things and tell others how you do things on the Internet anytime, for no cost and without restraint.

We’ve all been hearing this more and more…some call it the “naked” corporation. Anyone can leak information from a board room or a lunch room. A disgruntled airline passenger can quickly send video from a cell phone to local media showing the angst caused by a plane that has been sitting on a hot runway for hours. Anyone can go online and dig deep enough to learn not only about your organization, but everything connected to your organization. We live in a transparent world.

As such, public relations professionals need to be looking at their own organizations from the outside in, to see what others can see. Often, we’re so focused on directing messages outside of our organizations, we don’t take time to look at what’s coming in. I’m always amazed when I come across a website or blog that bashes a client and the client is unaware of it. These usually turn up in the simplest of searches…reminding me of the children’s story of the Emperor who had no clothes. Everyone but the client realizes their naked!

Friedman notes:

“In a connected world,” Seidman said to me, “countries, governments and companies also have character, and their character — how they do what they do, how they keep promises, how they make decisions, how things really happen inside, how they connect and collaborate, how they engender trust, how they relate to their customers, to the environment and to the communities in which they operate — is now their fate.”

Friedman argues that we’ve gotten away from the “how.” To a large extent many financial institutions stopped asking how they were making money, as long as they continued to make more money. How often do we see this manifested in the organizations we work for and represent? We’re so intent on a goal that we lose sight of how we’re going to accomplish that goal and the potential destruction we leave in the wake of getting there.

One of the things I often discuss in my ethics lectures is the importance of slowing down to think and raise the difficult questions. Often, when I consult on ethical issues and the crises that arise from them, clients will say, “You know, I had a bad feeling about that, but everyone else seemed to think it was a good idea.”

Friedman notes how difficult it is for individuals to speak up. After all, it is human nature to operate within a herd mentality. Many fear speaking up in the rush to meet a deadline, appease a client or attain a specific goal, all of which can start the slide into the slippery slope of ethical decision making.

Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.”

So, what can we learn from Mr. Friedman and the current mess we’re in? Like Margaret Mead said, never underestimate the power of one. Public relations practitioners are in a unique position to scan the horizon and keep management teams tuned into the importance of “how” when it comes to decision making. We need to be the ones who speak up and become the conscience of the organization. We need to be the ones to ask the tough questions. As Friedman concluded:

And so it must be with us. We need to get back to collaborating the old-fashioned way. That is, people making decisions based on business judgment, experience, prudence, clarity of communications and thinking about how — not just how much.

Once again, my Mom summed it up when I faced the herd mentality in my youth with a simple question.  “So tell me, if all your friends decided to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you join them?”

I recently participated in Junior Achievement of New Jersey’s Future Leader Forum: A Roundtable Discussion with Top Female Leaders.

The forum sought to inspire students to succeed and give them specific steps to take in order to achieve. As it turns out, I was the one who was inspired!

I always look forward to sharing my knowledge of the communications industry and my workforce with people entering the business. This Forum gave me the opportunity to speak more generically, from a woman’s perspective, to young women about to enter the workforce for the first time.

Some of the topics I was questioned on included becoming a leader with finesse, balancing work and personal life, and breaking through the glass ceiling. These dynamic young ladies were so eager for information, and so savvy.

The only drawback was in feeling a bit like a dinosaur. I mean really, didn’t I just graduate from college myself? How could I possibly be old enough to give advice to someone? All kidding aside, it was an invigorating, uplifting experience.

As the founder and leader of a socially responsible public relations agency, I always encourage this type of community involvement and outreach with my team. At Utopia, we believe that giving back to the community and encouraging future leaders is not only a duty, but a privilege. Encouraging ourselves through the service of others is part of our corporate DNA.

What is the ROI for my time you ask? Well, the young intern who coordinated the event, Sangeetha Subramanian, a student at Rutgers University, sent me a note saying that “Gradating into the ‘real world’ from college is no easy task.” She went on to say that “Having someone like you share your wisdom with me and my peers has been an honor. The tips you gave us will certainly lead to a leg-up in the workplace and make us more dynamic leaders in our near future.”