by Chris Banescu –
First and foremost, freedom and truth are inseparably linked. Without truth, real freedom begins to disappear. Like freedom, we must pursue truth in all things and at all times, otherwise we get ourselves into trouble and expose ourselves to dangerous people and situations. [Read more…]
Ethics
Power and Leadership – Authentic Leaders Give the Power Back to the People
by Chris Banescu –
Bob Davids, successful leader of six different businesses and co-author of Leadership without Ego: How to stop managing and start leading, reminds us of the right way that authentic leaders use the power they are given by the people. Rather than hoard that power, great leaders give all power back to the individuals who entrusted them with it.
In return, the people give these leaders even more power, thus creating a virtuous cycle that builds trust, empowers individuals at all levels of the organization to do great work, and inevitably leads to the long-term success of the enterprise and the people working there.
In his TEDx Talk, Davids explains that power is given to leaders by the people who support them. When individuals give power to their superiors, they observe how those leaders respond. If leaders take that power and give it all back to the people, the people then give those leaders even more power (support). [Read more…]
Character is the Most Important Trait
by Chris Banescu –
Life has taught me and continues to teach me that character is the most important trait we should look for in others. If a person does not have character, nothing else matters. This is true in our personal and professional lives. It’s true in our friendships and family relationships. It’s true in business, academia, politics, religion, and all other fields of human endeavor.
In virtually all of the business and leadership courses I have taught for over two decades, the subject of character inevitably comes up. Students ask me or I ask them about the most important characteristic or quality (they can only pick one) they should look for when working for anyone, partnering with someone in a venture, or hiring great employees. [Read more…]
Southwest Airlines Schools American Airlines on Treating Pilots Fairly and Decently
by Chris Banescu –
The Boeing 737 MAX disaster provides us with an opportunity to evaluate some leadership qualities of top executives at two major U.S. airlines, Southwest and American. The CEOs of these corporations have chosen fundamentally different responses to their pilots and employees who were negatively affected by the extended grounding of the 737 MAX planes.
One CEO shows himself to be a man of character and integrity. The other one not so much. Southwest Airlines’ top leader, Gary Kelly, is treating the company pilots fairly and decently. American Airlines’ CEO, Doug Parker, could care less about the concerns of their pilots. [Read more…]
Courage is the Virtue that Makes All Other Virtues Possible
by Chris Banescu –
Courage is the virtue that makes all other virtues possible. Courage helps us develop and sharpen our character. Courage is what enables us to practice all the other virtues, especially when doing so exacts a significant cost in our personal life, professional career, or business.
It’s not enough to know and believe in the virtues. We must act on them. Belief in, intellectual affirmation of, or knowledge of the virtues alone is not enough to develop our character. We must practice them! And this is where courage comes in and helps us to take appropriate action.
All courageous speech and conduct must be grounded in reality, ethics, and integrity. Our words and actions must support and defend truth, goodness, justice, and righteousness. This is important, because unethical, corrupt, or wicked individuals can also use courage to support evil purposes and unrighteous goals.
Wisdom needs to accompany courage. [Read more…]
Employees Are An Organization’s Most Valuable Resource
by Chris Banescu –
Employees are an organization’s most valuable resource. They must be managed fairly and equitably. They must be appreciated and respected. Leaders must strive to build relationships based on integrity, trust, and mutual understanding with the individuals they lead. Management must always remember that employees, especially engaged, loyal, smart, productive, and responsible ones are to be managed with care and concern.
Employees who are treated well, know their jobs are secure and management has their backs, are paid fairly and equitably, and are trusted and respected by their leaders and organizations, will be much more productive and loyal. They will literally give it their all and always strive to go “above-and-beyond,” safe in the knowledge that the company they work for genuinely cares about them and has a vested interest in their success and well-being. [Read more…]
How To Demotivate Employees and Undermine Morale and Productivity
by Chris Banescu –
Here’s a list of dysfunctional, unethical, and destructive organizational practices that I have personally experienced or seen while working with or consulting for various companies, corporations, universities, and non-profit institutions. Each of these will demotivate employees, undermine their morale, and negatively affect their productivity. Each of them will corrode organizational cohesiveness, foment suspicion and resentment of management, and destroy employees’ trust in and respect of their leaders.
Once more than one of these dysfunctional situations become normalized and spread across a company, then employee dissatisfaction and disengagement will increase exponentially. Quality of work will be negatively impacted. Great employees will begin to leave. Then the good ones will quit. The remaining employees will stop caring, stop speaking out, stop trying to address problems or improve anything inside the company. They will “go to gray.” They will do the minimal work required of them and no more.
If this pathology continues over longer periods of time, a human resources crisis will envelop the entire company and disaster (financial, ethical, legal, criminal, etc.) will inevitably follow. [Read more…]