If you had the opportunity to read the first two postings on this subject you will recall that the first step was for the CEO was to declare “a new day” going forward with the inculcation of the new core values. The second step was for the CEO to declare to the organizations’ members that he is personally and publicly committing his personal and profession conduct totally to the core value standards and he expects to be held accountable by everyone within the organization. The third step was for the CEO to meet with his command staff to discuss and commit each member verbally and in writing of their support and adherence to the core values. Much to do was to be made over the event which was to include a news conference to further advance the new operating philosophy. Now for the next recommended action:
Action Step 4
Begin the education and commitment process of the core values philosophy for all employees. Step four immolates step three in all accounts. The newly committed staff members begin the process of pushing this new way of doing business via core values down the chain of command. Each member is to meet with their direct reports and follow the example of the CEO in selling and committing each person verbally and in writing. Again, this is a big deal and it should be handled accordingly. This action step should continue down the chain of command until all members of the organization are informed and have committed to this new core value concept. The CEO should also develop, initiate and set in motion a process for external stakeholders to be educated in the new core value philosophy of the organization. The process will vary and be as unique as are the many different types of stakeholders. The method used can vary from a personal phone call to an in-person briefing by the CEO. I will not discuss this step further at this time other than to say it is very important and should be done.
Action Step 5
Incorporate into the Investigative/Compliance Department a section totally dedicated to continuous values and ethics education and awareness.
Every organization that is worth its salt has some type of internal section whose purpose is to monitor organizational behaviors to ensure compliance. The names and divisional duties are again as varied as are the many organizations. I would suggest that the organization’s CEO take an in-depth look at this section. First the name, its duties, reputation and responsibilities should be critiqued thoroughly. I personally dislike the old standby name, “Internal Affairs.” It is jaded and tends to project the image of a bunch of witch hunters in black suits looking around every corner having as their sole objective in life to “catch” someone doing something wrong. That thought reminds me of an incident I had as a young sergeant. I was in a 12 week Officer Management School and was gathering data I could use for my term research paper. I went over to Headquarters and met with an officer who had gathered some information for me. As I was talking with this officer the director of Internal Affairs walks by and said, “Haven’t we fired you yet?” I replied, “Not yet”, and laughed it off, but I left thinking you dumb***. Believe me, I wanted to tell him exactly what I was thinking too, but since he was a major and I a sergeant I didn’t think it very wise to do so. Had I said what I was thinking he surely would have gotten his wish and fired me. If I were the commanding officer and heard a remark from the IA director like the one he made to me, I would reassign him as soon as possible. Wouldn’t that set a confident tone throughout the organization that we respect our employees?
I never forgot that comment though, and how it instilled in me the belief that Internal Affairs truly followed the principle of “catch and fire” and did not really have the member’s best interest at heart. Right or wrong that was the image I carry for years in my mind. How much more effective this section can be if the prevailing attitude was to catch someone doing something right as much as or more than catching them doing wrong? If this catch and fire is the image your IA organization has, changes need to be made immediately. It should not be very difficult to change; remember, now they too have a code of core values to operate by just like everyone else. They should be held accountable as to how they conduct business in alignment with core values. Instead of the dread and fear being our dominate emotion when the investigative unit is visiting us, we should feel confident that they will do everything possible and ethical to help us, while representing the overall best interest of the organization. These two actions are mutually inclusive and not mutually exclusive in an organization that has respect for all employees as a core value.
Of course it is up to the CEO to rename this section as he thinks appropriate. I personally like the name, “Ethical Education and Compliance Section” or “Organizational Values Education and Compliance Section.” The name is important but not as important as what and how the section carries out its duties. I strongly suggest the section have two equally operating departments; the first is an educational department and the second is the compliance/investigation section. They should be directed by officers of the same rank. My thoughts today will be toward the educational section rather than the investigation/compliance section since everyone has, I assume, a general knowledge of the latter.
It is vitally important to emphasize the point that the ethical education element is as important as the compliance investigation element, perhaps more. If anyone thinks an organization can punish and threatening their way to ethical compliance had better give that concept some serious thought. It is a shame to acknowledge it, but that is how far too many organizations still operate. How about yours? I challenge you to find any organization where that method alone has consistently worked. You might want to start with the prison system. The old adage that “I am going to continue with the beatings until your behavior changes” doesn’t work so well. Somewhere along the way we have teach, educated, and give helpful assistance to those who are trying to do the right thing.
The educational side of ethical compliance to core values is vitally important and may be a new concept to many organizations. The section should be responsible for developing training programs in ethics and the core value philosophy of the organization. They should develop methods for incorporating core values awareness and continual learning deeply into every aspect of the organization. Their imagination should run wild creating new ways to educate and help members to be remindful of their new commitment to follow the newly established ethical core values.
They should establish ways to recognize members whose behaviors and actions go above and beyond the normal adherence to core values in business relations. This is in part a telling of the organization’s story. Part of their duties should be to create processes for discovering the many good things employees do on a regular bases, yet never seems to find the light of day. These stories should be widely distributed throughout the organization and to the public via the public information office. Organizations cannot develop an exceptional and ethical reputation when they make the news only when someone has done something wrong. Make the bad news the exception rather than the rule when citizens read about you in the paper or see you on the television news shows.
There will more on this subject in the next post. LeaderUp this week and have a safe and productive week. Thanks for all you do!
Esse Quam Videri!
Carpe Diem
Arete'
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