The ethical person should do more than he is required to do and less than he is allowed to do. Michael Josephson
In a blog post last week I asked the question, “Where Does CSR End & Moral Responsibility Begin?” Several folks weighed in on the role of the corporation in society. The consensus was that genuine CSR is more than just a program. It is a way of doing business that embraces moral responsibility.
Today, I’d like to ask another tough question. “Where Does Compliance End & Trust and Ethics Begin?”
Doug Cornelius over at Compliance Building used the recent NFL crisis to answer the question above in this excellent article.
The answer is rather “black and white” yet in speaking about trust with corporate executives, I often hear this statement. “We are not breaking any laws, therefore we are trustworthy.”
Here’s the most simple way to differentiate compliance and trust. Compliance is mandatory while trust is voluntary. Compliance sets minimum acceptable standards while trust and ethics are what differentiate an organization from its competitors.
While it’s true that trust can’t be regulated, merely be “compliant” will not place an organization at the front of the pack. The legal team cannot assist leadership in building trust, only in staying on the “right” side of the law. An organizational trust imperative first requires an acceptance that compliance is not enough, that trust and ethics must be embraced as a business imperative. The rest is easy.
Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.
Nominations are now being accepted for Trust Across America-Trust Around the World’s 5th annual Global Top Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business.
Coming Soon!
Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com
Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.
Barbara Brooks Kimmel, barbara kimmel, Compliance Building, Doug Cornelius, ethics, leadership, Michael Josephson, NFL, organizational trust, trust, trust across america, trust in business, Trust Inc. 52 Weeks of Activities & Inspirations for Building Workplace Trust, Trust Inc. A Guide for Boards & C-Suites, Trust Inc. Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset, trustworthy behavior, values
UncategorizedSeptember 25th, 2014
“The rotten apple spoils his companion.” Benjamin Franklin
Yesterday John Baldoni published a thought provoking article in Forbes Trust Matters Even to the NFL, and he was kind enough to include some of my thoughts.
At Trust Across America-Trust Around the World we believe that often the most well-deserving, shiniest apples are not those that get the most press coverage. The Manning family, and Eli in particular, have been vocal about the issue of domestic violence and its negative impact on the NFL’s image. Eli is not alone. There are many players in the NFL with high integrity and character. We should not forget this.
Regardless of the organization, when a crisis occurs, it become the problem of every stakeholder, whether they are innocent or guilty. It is important to remember that trust is built in incremental steps. In the course of doing so, the organization, and its leadership, bank trust. When a crisis strikes, they are better prepared and the blow is softened.
Let’s not blame the Eli Manning’s or the NFL “team” for the bad apples, or the resulting fallout from the latest scandal.
This story is really no different than General Motors. Rotten cultures produce rotten apples.
The NFL did not take the proactive steps required to bank trust in their organization, nor to build a trustworthy culture.
Quite simply, that’s a leadership issue. If trust is embraced as a business imperative, the next crisis just might be avoided.
Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.
Coming Soon!
Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com
Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.
Barbara Brooks Kimmel, barbara kimmel, crisis, Eli Manning, integrity, leadership, NFL, organizational trust, trust, trust across america, Trust Inc. 52 Weeks of Activities & Inspirations for Building Workplace Trust, Trust Inc. A Guide for Boards & C-Suites, Trust Inc. Strategies for Building Your Company's Most Valuable Asset, values
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