Leadership and integrity: how to ensure it exists in your organization.

Publication: Canadian Manager

Publication Date: 22-DEC-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Canadian Institute of Management

Throughout my career in Human Resources, I have had managers ask how, if they found themselves in a difficult situation, could they be sure to say the correct thing? When in doubt think about these two things: "treat people the way you would like to be treated" and "if you don't want to read it or see it in the news, don't say it!"

It's simplistic, yes, but advice that the VP HR at Enron could have been doling out. In the absence of strategic leadership and clearly reinforced corporate culture or values, these are two basic considerations for managers running an organization today.

There is a steady rise in the awareness of employees, shareholders, and the general public of serious lapses in good governance and corporate ethics. One needs look no further than the newspapers to read about the misfortunes of large, high profile corporations, quasi-governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations. In just the last two years, we have been inundated with the likes of Enron, Hollinger, WorldCom, Boeing, Freddy Mac, and even the American Red Cross. Most recently, Nortel, a company Canadians were proud to 'call their own', is newsworthy and noteworthy.

There are now increasing demands on members of the Board of Directors in companies to take steps to 'avoid risk', to be more 'aware' of how the company is managed and to do 'risk analysis'. The current...

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