Michele Harmon
I am on my soapbox this month because I have watched several people in various generations either ignore ethical behavior entirely or ignore it until they were reminded of the “right” way to do things.
My question is: are there consequences for being unethical in 2025?
Remembering the truth will always be easier than remembering the lie you told last week or year. Telling the truth is being ethical, even when it might cost you in one way or the other.
My next question is: can ethics be taught? The answer is sometimes.
I teach the subject several times a year at UTPB. I am always amazed that a few students must learn that there is no special treatment for them each term. Work is due, plagiarism is wrong, and using Artificial Intelligence to write their papers cheats them more than anyone else.
I am also watching Landman. Every episode has been tied to stories I have heard over the past 20 years. Remember when there were rumors of a military presence other than border patrols in our area a few years ago? The show is entertaining, without a doubt. Will the rest of the world see the Permian as if it were a TV show? Well, maybe.
And what about ethical dilemmas? I asked several 20-somethings if they thought Biden should have pardoned his son. They all said emphatically, “No.” They wanted to throw the book at the son. Then, I told them that Hunter was 54 years old and asked them if Hunter Biden had gone to prison, would he have internalized that there are consequences for illegal behavior? There were puzzled looks on their faces. Things can be very black-and-white for young people until they have had more good and bad experiences.
Next, I asked if a few years in prison and a $45 million fine changed Jeffrey Skilling. His 24-year sentence was reduced, and he was released from custody and a halfway house in 2019 for his illegal activity with Enron.
According to one report, Skilling had a Darwinian view of what makes the world work. It was said that he believed that money and fear were the only things that motivated people. Sorry, but we all know that money corrupts, and fear may cause individuals to make inferior decisions.
What is Sharron Watkins doing now? Ms. Watkins blew the whistle on Enron. She was selected as the Person of the Year in 2002. She lectures and has a consulting company that consults on corporate governance and business ethics. She made a difficult decision, and I praise her every chance I have.
She was the first to call my attention to the billboard and letter posted in the Houston Chronicle that Enron was returning in December 2024. The hoax shook many folks up. Who would dare use the name again? Well, never say never. The trademark may have been sold for a few hundred dollars in 2020. When you Google the hoax and click on the CNN article, you will see my friend Sharron Watkins again if you want to read about her ties to Enron.
Enron’s behavior and that of other corporations, such as Tyco International, Worldcom, and its leadership teams, led to the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.
It should also be no surprise that Enron had a code of ethics on paper.
If you want your organization to have a value-based corporate culture, there are several steps you must take. Is your iceberg melting? This is a fable created by John Kotter. It goes like this:
- Create a sense of urgency: Help others understand the need for change and the risks of staying the same.
- Form a guiding coalition: Assemble a group with the power to lead the change.
- Develop a vision and strategy: Create a clear vision and formulate strategies to achieve it.
- Communicate the vision: Make sure as many people as possible understand and accept the vision and strategy.
- Empower others to act: Remove barriers so that people can make the vision a reality.
- Produce short-term wins: Create visible successes to build momentum.
- Don’t let up: Keep initiating change until the vision is a reality.
- Create a new culture: Hold on to the new ways of behaving until they replace old traditions.
In plain language, you need a real mission and vision statement. You need a code of ethics that is more than just a poster on the wall; you must state the organization’s values.
Bill Hewlett of Hewlett Packard stated that one of the most incredible things David Packard left behind was their code of ethics, known as the “HP Way.” Jim Collins, author of Built to Last and Good to Great, explains: “Contrary to business school doctrine, we did not find ‘maximizing shareholder wealth’ or ‘profit maximation’ as the dominant driving force or primary objective through the history of most of the visionary companies. They have tended to produce a cluster of objectives, of which money is only one, not necessarily the primary one.”
Next, have guiding principles to articulate a clear vision of the corporation’s direction. Everyone must believe that an ethical culture is possible alongside a successful organization. There will only be an ethical culture when leadership is 100 percent on board with the ethics.
If the person (or persons) at the top lead and live ethically, your employees will either get on or off your bus.
Finally, what does not get measured does not get done. There should be ongoing ethics audits in every organization. There is no such thing as pushing the envelope on ethics. Review your code of ethics like you review your strategic plans.
Hot Topic: I cannot predict much more than an unwinding of more rules. I hope we do not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
“Your employees are the heart of your organization.” Dr. Michele Harmon is a Human Resource professional, supporting clients in Texas and New Mexico that range in size from five to more than 3,000 employees. Email: micheleharmon1@gmail.com