As leaders we make decisions every day that affect people on the teams we lead, our company, customers, and shareholders, and the ripple effect of these decisions even impacts the economy.
Sometimes not making a decision has far-reaching impact as well. When the country went into a recession two years ago, where would we be today if leaders (maybe under the influence of or with guidance from Congress) had taken 20% pay cuts across the board in their organizations with people shifting to a four day work week? That certainly did not happen in the movie,“The Company Men,” where three successive reductions in a shipbuilding company cut beyond fat, into muscle, bone and then into the spirit of even the talent who remained. In reality, what happened in many companies across the country was downsizings to various degrees, keeping critical talent who could multi-task but who ultimately become disengaged because they are doing multiple jobs and don't have the opportunity to do anything really well. How can that be good for the economy?
An article by Andrew Wicks from U VA at Darden,“What Teaching in China Taught Me About Building an Ethical World” reminds me that leaders’ decisions may be restricted by what the government does or does not support. In the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-09-26, “Managing the Multi-Sector Workforce,” government agencies are mandated to adopt a workforce planning model that includes the transfer of formal and informal knowledge from experienced to newer employees, with emphasis on creating a culture that fosters engagement and motivation. I was talking with an executive workgroup member who leads the HR function for a large city in the midwest- he indicated that in his organization boomers are now reporting to millenials and Gen X’ers- it reminded me of the movie, “In Good Company,” where the older generation still has the advantage of experience. The idea of “take this job and share it” has the potential to engage multiple generations (check out how to submit your hack to The Human Capital M-Prize at the Management Information Exchange).
The best talent wants to work alongside leaders who display ethics on their sleeve, because that shapes the organizational climate, and the decisions that are made at all levels, especially when no one is watching. A challenge emerges for leaders of virtual global teams who work in various continents, with different government and cultural climates. How do you encourage people to question authority, and initiate critical conversations? And as leaders, do we walk the talk when they do?
A song in The Grateful Dead’s repertoire, “Ripple in Still Water” continues with the lyric,“where there is no pebble tossed or wind to blow.” In a sailing regatta I recently crewed in, I marveled at sailor-tacticians who read the ripples on the water to catch a breeze early, sometimes it's a "cat's paw," sometimes it's a gust, but as changes in the water's surface buffet the vessel, they adjust navigating accordingly…leaders who are sensitive to the ethical climate they create and sustain can read the ripple on the surface of their organization's world too. Check out the webcast "Roadblocks or E-z Pass," by Kathleen Edmond, Chief Ethics Officer at Best Buy, and her ethics blog... can you start a blog in your own organization about ethical decisions? Especially if you're leading a global virtual team, a blog may help to convey your ethical intent; it could have a positive ripple effect around the world you may have not anticipated.
photo courtesy of paslotte