What if Penn State had in-house counsel in 2002?

If there had been a general counsel at Penn State in 2002, would Joe Paterno still be its head football coach?  We will never know for sure, but I have to think that events might have turned out differently and better for everyone involved.

Missing from media reports is the fact that Penn State had no in-house general counsel’s office when the key events of 2002 occurred.  Instead, the general counsel role was performed by a local outside law firm for more than five decades.

Jim Tressel - I'd hate to be your compliance officer

If you are OSU's general counsel or compliance officer, are you getting love letters or hate mail?  Ohio State University football head coach Jim Tressel did not himself commit a direct violation of NAIC standards, but he has hurt his institution by putting his head in the sand.  When he heard that some of his players were selling autographed program gear to a local tattoo shop for money and tattoos, he did . . . nothing!

Tressel has had a fine reputation for being an ethical coach in an industry with so much pressure to succeed that many succumb to sharp business practices.  If ethics is doing the right thing when no one is looking, is Tressel's integrity in issue or just his judgment?  Do you criticize OSU for overreacting . . . or for not putting Tressel on permanent suspension, or do you give OSU kudos for imposing a two-game suspension and a $250,000 fine?

Here are a few thoughts on the subject from others:

Best Buy's ethics blog

If you haven't seen it, I suggest you check out Best Buy's ethics blog at the following link: www.kathleenedmond.com/.  The blog is maintained by Kathleen Edmond, Best Buy's Chief Ethics Officer.  I came across Kathleen's blog in my review of an HBR post discussed on this blog at Ethics- framing-communications.

This summary was prepared by Perry Cone and is posted at www.leadinginhouse.com/

Legal Notice and Disclaimer

Ethics - framing communications

In an article about communicating ethics, the author posits that "subtle changes" in how communications about ethics are framed "can produce big differences in the ethical conduct of organizational members."  See The Best Ways to Discuss Ethics.  The author starts with the observation that there are a "wide variety of approaches" that companies can take to discuss ethics, ranging from Codes of Conduct to more interactive employee ethics blogs (such as Best Buy's Ethics Blog).  Three findings are summarized:  "1.  Setting the right example," "2. Framing ethics to highlight prevention," and "3.  Stress the importance of means."

Why Integrity Is Never Easy

Why is it necessary to place an "integrity" statement on a company's website or in its value statements?  After all, "Nobody wants to get involved with a company that lies, cheats, and tricks its customers," says author and consultant Ron Ashkenas.  The answer, as set forth in his Harvard Business Review blog post, is that integrity is just not that easy.

There are two reasons that integrity is not easy:  

• First, is the "innate human ability to rationalize behavior" and
• Second is that "everyone defines integrity differently."

For these reasons, "relying on compliance functions, policies, rules, and audits — the integrity police — is usually inadequate ."  Enjoy the rest of this worthwhile discussion at the following link:  Why Integrity Is Never Easy

This summary was prepared by Perry Cone and is posted at www.leadinginhouse.com/

Legal Notice and Disclaimer

Ethical Conduct is part of "The Extreme Leader’s Mantra"

Here is another endorsement of the importance that ethical conduct plays in leadership.  Steve Farber, the adovocate of "Extreme Leadership," writes that The Extreme Leader's Mantra is, "Do what you love in the service of people who love what you do."

The second part of the mantra stresses ethical conduct.  Says Farber:  "In the service of people:  This is what keeps you true, honest, and ethical at the very least. If you’re doing what you love, you’ll make yourself happy, but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re a narcissist, not a leader. Leadership is not only about you; it’s about your impact on others and your ability to help transform things for the better. Ideally, for all of us."