Consequences of Ethical Failures

OS230 Organizational Ethics

Week 4

Sample Case

• Scenario:

• State trooper, a state employee of the Connecticut State Police (CSP), wants to open an office cleaning company.

Kidneys For Sale

A Leader’s Key Value

• During the critical days of WWII, Winston Churchill aroused an entire nation when he said:– “You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory. Victory

at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival”

• What is the aim of a leader? – One Word: Integrity.

– Integrity at all costs, integrity in spite of all opposition, integrity however long and hard the road; for without integrity there can be no true victory.

The Disconnect Between Values Awareness and Leader Behavior

When leaders ignore self-awareness—including personal value

awareness—they become more likely to self-deceive, self-betray,

and act contrary to ethical standards.

Kennedy and Clinton

US Navy

CNO’s tough new rules for Screening Commanders

• Command Qualification Program– Formalized with Classroom Education– Written Test– Review by peers and subordinates (360)– XOs must be certified by predecessors

• Average 12 COs fired per year. – Last year 22 COs were fired, the second-highest number in a decade

behind 26 firings in 2003.– This year the Navy is on pace to match last year’s total firings.

• “Charge of Command” memo issued last year by then CNO Admiral Gary Roughead. – The memo outlined requirement to live up to the highest expectations of

conduct. The instruction was read and signed by all COs and admirals.• Previously not consistent through all commands• Ironically in place for year in submarines

Sub commander relieved of duty after woman alleges he faked death to end affair

• Aug 12, 2012Navy Cmdr. Michael P. Ward II, who has been accused of having an affair with a 23-year-old Chesapeake, Va., woman and faking his death as a means of ending it, has been relieved of his duties as the commanding officer of the USS Pittsburgh, just one week after he was put in command.The woman met Ward, 43, on a dating website in October. She said Ward, who is married with children, told her her he was separated and that he worked in "special ops." She said he got her pregnant then, in an effort to end the relationship, faked his death in an email communication in July.

• The Navy relieved Ward on Friday "due to lack of confidence in Ward's ability to command based upon allegations of personal misconduct “Our Navy has a very clear and unambiguous standard regarding the character of our commanding officers, spelled out in the Charge of Command. I reviewed this Charge with Cmdr. Ward before he assumed command. He understood the Navy's high standards for command leadership and he failed to uphold them," Parks said.

• The woman provided copies of text messages and emails from Ward."I want you, but I don't know how to make this all perfect," one of the texts says. Another says, "I love you and I always will."

• On July 6, she received an email from his address purporting to be from a man named Bob who worked with Ward."He asked me to contact you if this ever happened," the email says. "I am extremely sorry to tell you that he is gone. We tried everything we could to save him. I cannot say more. I am sorry it has to be this way."The email goes on to say, "He loved you very much," and that Bob had something Ward had wanted to give to her.

• The woman said that on July 9, she drove with her family members to Ward's house in Burke, Va., to pay her respects and learned from the new owner that Ward was alive and had moved to Connecticut to take command of a submarine.

• She said she became ill, was hospitalized, and learned she was pregnant. She said she has since lost the baby.

Discussion

• Charge of Command

• What is this document?

• Why is it important?

East Haven Police Department

• Cost to Taxpayers– Lawsuits and Attorney fees

• Consent Decree– Dramatic changes to police training and equipment– Change the way to do business– Extraordinary paperwork and reporting requirements– High cost of implementation– 5 to 30 years– Permanent taint to department

• How would another LE interact with a dept under consent decree?

Salesman’s Dilemma

• Class Discussion

Rion’s The Responsible Manager

• Corporate Ethos - Values• Top Management Commitment – The avoidance of

reprisals, 1st awareness• Policy Guidance - What does it mean? Specifics• Staff Support - More than a code but also follow up, who

do you call?• Training, Training, Training – AND hire the right people.• If you’re the Boss - Recognize the Obstacles

– wink, wink; learn to question; encourage the questions; make ethics a checklist item; don’t make decisions alone

• If you’re not the Boss - Generate Consensus – One of the best ways to protect yourself and make the right

decision.– Gray areas vs Bright Lines– Don’t make decisions alone

Next Week (5)

• Week 5, Find an article related to ethics in an organization's leadership or culture.

• Prepare notes referencing the significance of the article, how the leader seem to abandon his/her stated personal values or the organization’s values and acted unethically for discussion in class. 

• DB – get into the habit of putting your discussion into a framework