Speaking up: after 32 years, reality finally caught up with Ray Kelvin. Staff put the controversial, long-serving CEO on the spot over “forced hugging.” Some 2,500 staff dared to speak up, signing a petition protesting the CEO’s intrusive actions. After three decades in power the serial hugger reluctantly stepped down […]
COMMUNICATIONS
How employees can keep you on the straight and narrow
It has cost $15 million dollars and with nothing to show for it. Except serious reputation damage. Barclays’ CEO Jes Staley tried discovering the identity of a whistle blower. He ran slap into laws designed to protect people who speak up about unethical practices in business. The resulting $15 million […]
What every ethical leader needs to know about empathy
EMPATHY: “If I’d only known how being nice to customers was going to work so well, I’d have started many years ago.” Michael O’Leary CEO of Ryanair, 2016 Sadly, his new awareness didn’t lead to sensitive handling of the chaos a year later caused by his airline’s last minute cancellations. […]
Does the ethical public relations leader exist?
Revelations about the PR firm Bell Pottinger, again raise the issue of what exactly is an ethical business leader? Reports suggest this firm earned £100,000 a month in fees, running a secret campaign to stir up racial tension on behalf of its billionaire clients. Now the firm’s own future is […]
How to avoid toxic tone from the top
The failure of BA’s chief executive Alex Cruz to avoid toxic tone from the top will resonate for months, perhaps years. True the airline’s share price has not died a death. Toxic tone from the top can take months, even years to undermine a brand. No amount of high tech […]
Are you or your leaders suffering from Imposter Syndrome?
Failing to talk openly about “ethics” at work can be down to many reasons. From disinterest to being over busy, from being self-absorbed to not realising its importance. Of the many possible causes, there’s one that seldom gets an airing: Imposter Syndrome. This arises when even successful leaders have chronic […]
Is speaking up in your company a mug’s game?
“Hello, I’m your chief executive. Thanks for calling me on my special access phone number.” “ Wow is that really you?”` [spacer height=”20px”]“Certainly, don’t you recognise my voice?” [spacer height=”20px”]“ Not sure I’ve heard it enough to know. Still thanks for taking my call.” [spacer height=”20px”]“No problem. You sound, how […]
Charisma Work Out # 13: Gravitas
“I recently interviewed for director level job and passed all criteria except one; gravitas (or lack of).” Source: https://tinyurl.com/q9au5m3 Do you advise on compliance or some aspect of ethics in a company? If so, you may well talk to senior people, or even the Board, while not perhaps being […]