Despite the fact that I often lecture on ethics and teach a workshop with adults, I find it much more challenging to teach my teenage sons. I often wonder if liiving by example means very much to them. How can I get them to live a principled life when I can’t even get them to put the toilet seat down?!
That said, I was pleasantly surprised when my oldest, who is 16, came home from school the other day and showed me his badge from participating in a “Day of Silence.”
Let me share his badge copy so you can see what the Day of Silence was about:
Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies in schools. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think abuot the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?
I was quite touched by the fact that my son participated. Yet it is a wise mother that knows her own child. I’ve often heard him joke about a boy in the neighborhood who is gay and quite open about it. I asked him, “So, if you saw XX being taunted in school by kids older than you, what would you do?” His answer? “I wouldn’t participate.” I told him, that’s not enough. If you truly believe in what the Day of Silence stood for, you have to be strong enough to confront the hatred at its source and stand up for someone, even if you don’t know them well.
He thought on that…what it means, in personal terms, to put action to words. I hope he understood what I was telling him…sometimes speaking to a teen is like speaking to a void. That said, I’ll continue to reinforce the lesson about walking the walk.
One of the most frustrating, and rewarding, aspects of managing a small business is managing a staff. As an entrepreneur, it can be extremely frustrating. Why? Because at some point, you come to the realization that no one will ever care as much about your business as you do. While staffers may enjoy their work, in the end, your just a paycheck…a means to an end.
And while survey after survey shows that employees want to work for an ethical organization and an ethical manager, very few take time to look at the ethics of their day to day work.
This really hit home recently when I noticed lunch hours getting longer, people taking our “police yourself” motto and playing fast and loose with arrival and departure times, and folks instant messengering their friends while on “the clock.” Now mind you, I’m no slave driver, but all those things add up, and I’m in a billable hour business.
In essence, it’s stealing. If you ask the average young worker if that’s how they view it, you get one of those glassy stares commonly shot my way by one of my teenage sons.
So, how do you combat the behavior. Pointing it out is a start, but most folks don’t think they’re doing anything wrong…after all, doesn’t everyone do it?
I find that a work ethic is a hard thing to teach…people either have it, or they don’t. All I can do as an employer is strive to lead by example and encourage a corporate culture that gives each client the care, time and attention they deserve. And when all else fails? Get my whip…..
Today’s post is by my guest blogger and dear friend John Softness…who has a way with words, to say the least:
A Paean to Great Old Words
by John Softness
How come no one says howdy anymore? It’s a nice word. It means more than hello. It means I like you and I’m happy to see you. It means let’s be friends. It’s warm and full of good will. Hello is cold. It means I acknowledge you’re here, now get the hell out of my way while I say howdy to someone I actually like. Alas, no one says it. But, I will from now on. Howdy neighbor. Isn’t that swell?
Come to think of it, how come nobody says swell anymore? Swell is a great word. Old, but great. People, particularly young people, say excellent all the time. Recently, I told someone that I would meet him at five and he said excellent. What’s so excellent about meeting at five? Shakespeare is excellent, perfect pitch is excellent, Mel Tormé is excellent, Mohammad Ali in his prime was excellent. But five? Five is not even swell. It’s a time of day, for God’s sake.
Swell is a sweet word. There’s a touch of goodness in it. If someone is a swell guy, it means he’s standup. It means he’s honest, considerate, nice to his mother and always remembers your birthday. You can ask a favor of someone who is swell. Calling someone a good guy is what my mother used to refer to as a left-handed compliment. It means he has not been arrested lately, at least not for a felony offense. If a girl is swell, you can take her home to your mother.
That was a swell movie means it made you feel happy about yourself and others. If you call it a good movie means it was technically okay and at least 80 percent of it made sense. The ultimate positive critique of anything is: “Gosh, that was swell.”
And what happened to gosh? Gosh is a pleasant word. It is probably derived from God, but you can use it in vain, if you want. If a friend says she is sorry she’s late but the dog ate her cell phone, you know she is probably shading the truth. But if she simply says, “Gosh, I’m sorry,” you know she really is.
And, speaking of God, another possible derivation is golly. If someone starts a sentence with God as an exclamation, you know the rest of it is going to be a downer. Here’s an example: “God (pause), it’s going to be hot today,” means get the calamine lotion, heat rash is on its way. However, if you start the same sentence with Golly, it means it’s going to be beautiful beach weather and a neat day for a picnic.
And, not enough people say neat anymore. If you say that a book is neat, it means more than just the pages are stuck together with raspberry jam. What neat means is that the book is an exciting read, the characters are well defined, the plot is enthralling, and the denouement and resolution make sense. Show me another word that does that.
Okay, how about lovely? Is there a difference between having a good time and a lovely time? Think about it. If you had a good lunch, you were not mugged and few members of your party came down with an e-coli infection. But, a lovely lunch? Ahhh! Thank of it: the wine flowing and fine; the food delicious and enchanting; the music soft and sweet; the afternoon sun warming and embracing; and the conversation bright and charming.
Here’s a neat idea? Say lovely and light up your world.
And say howdy to someone you love.
John Softness, a former public relations bigwig and current speechwriter for mayors, college presidents and other swell people of that ilk, wrote this because it seemed like a neat thing to do.
I was distressed to wake up this morning to news reports of another ethical lapse by a high ranking, noted PR professional. You know, the kind of guy that makes news.
According to the Associated Press [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080407/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_penn] “Mark Penn, a lightning rod for controversy throughout Clinton’s presidential campaign, left the campaign Sunday after it was disclosed he had met with representatives of the Colombian government to help promote the trade agreement.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Penn, who serves as chief executive of public relations giant Burson-Marsteller, met with Colombian officials March 31 to help craft strategy to move the Colombian free trade agreement through Congress. Clinton opposes such a deal, and Penn later issued a statement apologizing for the meeting, calling it an “error in judgment.”
No kidding.
According to Justice Department filings, Colombia agreed last year to pay Burson-Marsteller $300,000 to help “educate members of the U.S. Congress and other audiences” about the trade deal and secure continued U.S. funding for the $5 billion anti-narcotics program Plan Colombia.
Okay, so let me get this straight. You’re stumping for a campaign that is anti-trade agreement. At the same time, your firm (and you are CEO of said firm) is taking money to promote the trade agreement. Hmmmm….and you realize late in the game that this is “an error in judgement.”
The Colombian government has since fired Burson-Marsteller. So has the Clinton campaign.
You know, as one of many public relations professionals that strives to work ethically, I’m truly getting sick and tired of the big guys in our industry giving all of us a bad rap.
Here’s the kicker, Burson has had a longstanding marketing campaign to position itself as a leader in “reputation management.” A case of the shoemaker’s child?
Just goes to show you, bigger ain’t always better. These guys have the resources to train and prevent this type of mistake, but heaven forbid they put their money where their mouth is. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…don’t talk the talk if you’re not gonna walk the walk.
The rest of us are sick of it.
Why bother with ethics when being unethical is so much more fun?
After years of preaching ethics in the workplace, I’ve finally had it. What’s the point? Ethics makes no sense when considered logically.
Machiavelli’s “It’s better to be feared than loved” theory, an ideology I’ve always embraced, conflicts with my lifelong love affair with business ethics. And, I’ve decided it’s finally time to choose one or the other. Well, Machiavelli seems much more appealing to me.
Ethics, when compared with Machiavelli’s theory, just does not size up. Why be nice and succeed when you can be ruthless and triumphant? After all, some of the most famous figures in history have embraced Machiavelli over ethics and it turned out alright for them. For example, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, and George W. Bush all put ethics aside and they wound up in charge. Wouldn’t you agree?
One might say I’ve had an epiphany. An awakening of sorts… But don’t be too congratulatory or I’ll construe it as a sign of weakness.
You can visit my new blog at www.RealisticPessimistBlog.com
By the way, Happy April Fools Day!
I had an interesting situation with USA Today that I feel honor bound to share. One of my clients called me somewhat perturbed that a reporter for the paper had quoted their CEO, but had never interviewed the gentleman.
Since the quote seemed out of context and was not presented in the most favorable light, the CMO wanted to know what had transpired. The quote closely resembled a similar quote found in an article that appeared in another paper the day before, which made the situation seem a bit suspicious.
Diligent PR maven that I am, I carefully reviewed both articles and crafted a letter of inquiry to the USA editorial review team. Not accusatory mind you, just the facts.
Note here that USA Today clearly identifies on their website the name of an individual one can contact if you have questions about a particular article or wish to report a concern. Kudos to them on that.
When I called the contact, a real person actually picked up the phone, heard my tale of woe, and suggested I outline it in an email and assured me that it would be investigated immediately.
In less than an hour, I had the senior editor of the Money Section on the line (he called me) asking for additional details so he could speak to the reporter. He was extremely professional, and I admit, I was extremely impressed by their quick turnaround and oversight.
Turns out the USA Today reporter’s story was filed several weeks before so any overlap with the previous day’s article was quickly resolved. Moreover, the reporter had detailed notes on his conversation with the CEO, which was quick and related to another story. He also had details of an email/blackberry string confirming said interview.
The windup? Turns out the client’s CEO didn’t remember doing the interview because it was in conjunction with another story. So, the quote was legit.
In spite of the fact that we (agency and client) questioned a legit quote didn’t deter the paper from taking our initial query seriously and expeditiously investigating it.
I’ve learned a few lessons here. First, always be careful about making accusations. In this case, we were. We gently asked where the quote emanated from and didn’t cast blame.
I also learned, to my surprise and delight, that some of the better news outlets still have editorial oversight and take the time to enforce standards of practice.
I have to compliment USA Today on their editorial review procedures and senior editor David Craig for his professionalism and commitment to the highest ethical standards. It’s very refreshing!
I’m catching up on some industry reading and came across a very interesting piece on a study that was done by Hill & Knowlton for their Eighth Annual Corporate Reputation Watch. The study took a look at global MBA students and “shows that certain industries and locations are losing the reputational battle in the global war for talent.”
The study showed that “MBAs graduating in a post-Enron, post-WorldCom world have a strong preference for the companies with the best reputations.” Apparently, compensation isn’t the only deciding factor among the newest generation of MBAs. These folks want to work for a company that has a great reputation!
This is music to the ethical optimist’s ears.
Among the factors that now drive career choice are corporate governance and ethics, social responsibility and community involvement, and environmental/green policy. While other factors had a higher relevance (like compensation) the fact that these are drivers at all is extremely encouraging.
This theme was echoed during a recent Counselor’s Academy conference call I participated in on recruiting and retaining mid-level managers. PR industry recruiter and guru Dennis Spring noted that a greater number of public relations practitioners are no longer defining career success in terms of money or position. Many are citing the fact that they “want to make a difference” and “love what they do,” when expressing their desire to switch employers.
This is great news for an agency like ours, which is small and has to compete for talent with the large NYC firms. However, we’ve found that our focus on ethics and social responsibility has been a wonderful recruitment tool.
As Paul Taaffe, chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton said, “The best talent, like the most attractive real estate, will always be in scarce supply. The future winners will be the ones who are the quickest to recognize this and take action to enhance and protect reputation.”
You tell ‘em, Mr. Taaffe!
You know someone is reviled in the PR business when news of their failure is quickly passed on via email chains and the gleeful notes that accompany them.
Such is the case with a recent article on 5W PR’s CEO Ronn Torossian, which appeared on www.Gawker.com. It’s not the first negative article on Mr. T, and I’ve no doubt it will be the last.
To understand, let me give you an excerpt from the article, “It’s important to understand why we—and others—talk about Ronn Torossian so much. He and his firm are far from the biggest players in the PR industry, so it may seem strange that he gets so much attention. The real reason he matters is that he embodies the public’s worst ideas about what a PR person is: loud, brash, more flash than substance, dirty, manipulative, amoral, and, in the end, not particularly bright.”
Ouch! Not the guy you want to have representing your industry.
Lest you think the Ethical Optimist has sympathy, let me reassure you, I don’t. Why? There’s some personal history here. I had the distinct displeasure in working with Ronn for a brief period of time at KCSA. He did, in fact, embody the worst idea about a PR professional and a manager. In fact, I would up telling my CEO that I refused to work with him…which did not sit well. It was also probably the only time in my career that I have cussed out a co-worker.
Ronn’s recent troubles stem from his employment practices and a lawsuit filed by his former HR Director. One has only to see the documented email string to figure out why he’s in trouble. Suffice it to say, he deserves to have his mouth washed out with soap.
Why am I telling you this? Well, because I’m a big believer in Karma and the belief that “What Goes Around Comes Around.” If you don’t believe it yourself, this is a case in point. At the higher echelons of the public relations industry, it’s a fairly small world. Your word and your reputation count, even among your competitors. Ronn’s is basically Mudd, and has been for a long time. Now, with the radioactive half life afforded by the Web, his infamy is available for all — prospective employees, clients, etc., — to see … for some time to come.
This was evidenced by no less than 20 emails and links I received from colleagues and folks who’d also worked for Ronn when the Gawker.com piece hit. Each forward was preceded by a comment along the lines of, “couldn’t happen to a nicer guy…haha.”
The saddest part of this tale, however, is that the media continue to give Ronn and his firm credence. It’s a case of one bad apple giving our profession a black eye. On a personal note, I wish we could better police this type of firm/manager, but as with many professions, that is just not possible.
I will offer strong props to Ronn’s former HR Director who blew the whistle on his practices and had the guts to stand up to him. You go girl!
Some could argue that licensing might be a cure, but there are plenty of unethical sleazy lawyers who have yet to be disbarred to discount that theory.
One can only hope that those of us who are also making a name for ourselves and our firms hold ourselves to a higher standard and insist that the world stand up and take notice.
Addressing Mr. Spitzer’s chances of remaining in office, a Democrat state official said, “It would be particularly difficult. It makes it harder because he’s not exactly at the peak of his popularity to begin with, and if you’re Mr. Super Clean and you’ve prosecuted other people—the only thing worse than being a sinner is people thinking you’re a hypocrite.” (Crain’s NY Business)
It’s a sad ending to a high profile career that was built on integrity and reputation.
Spitzer took great pride in rooting out high profile ne’er do wells and making an example of them.
The problem with building your castle out of white bricks is in keeping the house clean.
Believe me, I can empathize. I’m trying to build a business built on ethics and social responsibility. To run it, however, I have to hire human beings. Moreover, I always have to be on the watch…over myself! I have to be highly critical of my own actions, the clients I take, etc.
I find I constantly question my accountant. I feel I need to be “squeaky” clean. After all, how would it look if I built my business on integrity and then thought I was above it on a personal level?
That said, there’s a price to pay (in my case, higher taxes).
Like political strategist Basil Smikle said of Spitzer, “He ran on this law and order platform. He was attorney general for eight years, the sheriff of Wall Street. This works to undermine his credibility.” (Crain’s NY Business)
I’ll say.
Here’s the thing. As many companies accused of “green washing” are finding out, saying and doing are vastly different things, and few truly walk the walk. It’s something I’ve blogged about consistently. As my mother used to say, “Don’t tell me what you’re going to do, do it.”
My mother, a staunch Roman Catholic, rarely saw in shades of grey. There was always simply doing the right thing, or doing the wrong thing. She had a thing about people who said one thing, but did another… “Do as I Say and Not As I Do.”
I wonder what Spitzer’s mother is thinking?
It’s been an interesting week, but I have to say that the highlight of it was attending the 2008 Governor’s Conference for Women. The theme of this year’s conference was “Taking Charge,” and I was able to hear some terrific speakers including Governor Corzine (NJ), Joan Lunden and Suze Orman.
Over 1,500 women attended from throughout the state during National Women’s History Month.
I have to tell you, it was extremely inspiring.
When I started in public relations, there were very few women in management. In fact, many of us, despite having college degrees, were relegated to the typing pool; it was our only way in.
To be surrounded by so many accomplished women, to see how many women are now in the state and national legislature, to hear the amazing stories of women who’ve overcome tremendous odds, raised families, and run businesses made me realize that there are fewer barriers than ever before and anything is possible.
As a single mother of three running a growing business, it was just the morale boost I needed to stay on track.
One of the sessions, titled, “Leading with a Conscience” was right up my alley and I was delighted to see that the room was packed. Women do tend to lead with their hearts, and I think having more women in positions of authority and running business has led to positive changes in the workplace when it comes to family-friendly policies, flextime, and other developing issues.
I’d like to thank Governor Corzine and his outstanding team, Joseph Doria, Jr., Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs and Janice Kovach, Director of the NJ Division on Women for organizing such an outstanding conference.
