Page 105 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

86 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

Concern yourself with your own actions in place of judging others.
The fact is that people view the same issue differently based on country,
industry, upbringing, culture, socialization, experience, and their own
chosen code of conduct. Integrity, like beauty, can be in the eye of the
beholder. State and stay with your position; do not concern yourself with
judging theirs unless it affects your ability to stand by yours.
Take clear, deliberate corrective action if a person around you is a
predator out to hurt others, do an illegal act, potentially cross legal bound-
aries, or hinder you from performing to your standard.
I felt like a business partner was stealing from the company when he
took money to pay his wife commissions she hadn’t earned. He thinks
he’s paying for effort expended. I have to worry about me and what
I see as truth; I can’t worry about what he sees as the truth. He
doesn’t feel he lacks integrity.
ƒ

You need to write about integrity with a small “i.”
Human nature is highly susceptible to different interpretations.
Accept that there are different standards and that misunderstandings
will occur.

How to Repair a Damaged Reputation

Despite your effort to be the person you could play cards with over
the phone, things will happen in life for which you are falsely accused.
One man experiencing this said, “Trying to explain was like punching
clouds” to no avail.
Sadly a disgruntled employee can write a letter and make up
accusations of fraud. Auditors backed up by the Sarbannes-Oxley Act
have been known to falsify reports. Despite falsifications or inaccuracies,
you now have to deal with the issue in a series of steps while also
following company policy and the law.
Get a personal meeting with the appropriate individual within your
company or organization to clearly explain the matter. Invite the accuser