{"id":1700,"date":"2012-03-30T03:05:58","date_gmt":"2012-03-30T09:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/corevalues.com\/?p=1700"},"modified":"2012-03-30T03:05:58","modified_gmt":"2012-03-30T09:05:58","slug":"are-unethical-business-leaders-spawning-the-next-generation-of-toxic-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corevalues.com\/dev\/2012\/03\/30\/are-unethical-business-leaders-spawning-the-next-generation-of-toxic-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Unethical Business Leaders Spawning the Next Generation of Toxic Leaders?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Copyright TIGERS Success Series<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Dianne Crampton<\/strong><\/p>\n

There has been an outpouring of reaction and response received from the NY Times editorial of \u201cWhy I am Leaving Goldman Sachs .\u201d\u00a0 When executive director, Greg Smith blew the whistle on\u00a0Goldman Sachs before retiring, he put in writing what most of us already knew. Greed rules the financial sector and in many ways \u2013 a large segment of the business world. Gone are the days when customers and clients were an organization\u2019s focus and ethical business decisions<\/a>\u00a0 were made for the good of the organization and employees as a whole. Or is it just that the courageous whistle blowing of Mr. Smith has opened yet another closed door to the inner sanctum of a deteriorating business culture?<\/p>\n

How Much Did We Make?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. Smith goes on to say, \u201cThese days, the most common question I get from junior analysts is, \u201cHow much money did we make off the client?\u201d It bothers me every time I hear it, because it is a clear reflection of what they are observing from their leaders about the way they should behave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Smith further states a very fundamental law of business, \u201cI hope this can be a wake-up call to the board of directors. Make the client the focal point of your business again. Without clients you will not make money. In fact, you will not exist.\u201d<\/p>\n

How much plainer and simpler can it be? Without customers, your doors will close and your business will cease to exist. Open and shut case.<\/p>\n

Morally Bankrupt Workplace Cultures<\/strong><\/p>\n

The former Goldman Sachs executive director also goes on to warn:\u00a0\u201c<\/em> Weed out the morally bankrupt people, no matter how much money they make for the firm. And get the culture right again, so people want to work here for the right reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

We need to wake up and pay attention folks. Somewhere along the way, our business culture made a wrong turn and it became all about filling the coffers. \u201cGolden Parachutes\u201d and \u201cOccupy Wall Street\u201d are all phrases that have recently been coined to illustrate the current business culture sentiment.<\/p>\n

So how do we swing the pendulum back and start focusing on ethics, customers, long-term business strategies, and building \u201cengaged\u201d teams who believe in the organization? It starts with our business leaders.<\/p>\n

As Gary Burnison,<\/em> CEO of Korn\/Ferry International, the world\u2019s largest executive recruiting firm put so eloquently, \u201cLeaders’ primary objective is to empower others to make decisions and take actions that are aligned with the organization\u2019s vision, purpose, and strategy. The spotlight is always on the results of the team. It\u2019s not about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As you define and distinguish your leadership, here are some strategies to strengthen your role and provide the upcoming generation of business leaders with solid mentorship:\u00a0<\/p>\n