I tend to get philosophical on Election Day as I mail my ballot. This year, I’m thinking about leadership and the far-reaching implications of the actions of leaders and how, through their words and actions, they communicatively “brand” their candidacy and/or organization. For example, many of us are watching one potential candidate to see whether his response to allegations of past impropriety satisfies potential voters or ends his political aspirations. And, from an organizational standpoint, we are seeing a cross-generational explosion of anger at organizational leaders who don’t stand for the stated values of their organizations.
So, does a politician or an organizational leader have a responsibility to act consistently to the highest values of his/her organization at all times? In my view, yes. The leader is the manifestation of the organization itself. S/he is the physical representation of the values, vision, and mission of the organization. That’s why the law recognizes that leaders (to borrow from one of my favorite attorneys) are held to a “higher standard of care” with regards to their communication and their actions. By their actions, they “bind the organization.” This means that employees, clients, vendors, and suppliers should have a reasonable expectation that the leader speaks for and acts on behalf of the organization. Thus, when a leader behaves poorly, the ramifications for the organization and the leader are, and should be, more severe.
I’ve been teaching courses in anti-harassment and non-discrimination for much of the last six months to meet a core training objective of one of my public clients. So, I’ve been steeped in the stories and experiences people share about their organizational experiences relative to “safe” working environments. Unfortunately, bad behavior exists at all levels of organizations. Sometimes leaders are those behaving poorly and sometimes they unconsciously “endorse” bad behavior by not acting definitively or proactively against it.
As a result, I’m increasingly convinced that we need to strongly remind leaders of their responsibility to embrace their obligation to be better representatives of their organizations’ values – behaviorally, structurally, and communicatively. Leaders need to behave in a way that eliminates even the impression of impropriety – not only because of the legal ramifications, but because others are watching all the time to learn what is – and what is not – appropriate within the organization. A leader who tolerates discrimination, harassment, or unethical business practices negatively brands his organization, regardless of the official written values, vision, or mission of that organization. Thus, leaders not only need to be accountable to the highest standards of behavior, but they need to have a zero tolerance attitude toward inappropriate or unethical behavior by their employees, vendors, and suppliers.
While some might argue that leaders are human, I’d respond that while true, employees and clients have the right to expect more from them. In accepting the mantle of leadership, the individual agrees to be held to the higher standard and should understand that in employees’ eyes – and in the marketplace – s/he “becomes” the organization.
Leaders should actively consider the communicative brand they want for their organizations and then consistently behave in a manner that models the brand and “shouts” to the community and marketplace that “This is what we, as an organization, stand for!” Instead of making the communicative brand happen by chance, organizational leaders should be intentional in its creation: How do we want to be perceived in the marketplace? What actions or behaviors would communicate this? What policies or procedures do we need in place to support the brand?
Politicians and scions of business remind us all too often with their behavior and their words that they are indeed all too human. For me, as a voter and as a citizen, I expect more. With my vote, I have the right to expect leaders who perform with the highest levels of transparency and ethics – all the time, regardless of their party affiliation. And, leaders of organizations large and small, pay attention: any one of us who leads others should hold ourselves to this same high standard. Don’t just write the communicative brand for your organization: teach it, live it, be it.
