Front Page
Before we too quickly dismiss USS Enterprise Captain Honors as a fool for making sexually explicit videos, which he is, it is prudent to pause and consider what we have done that would make us cringe if it was on the "front page" of local or national print/online news:
1. Business emails that we have written with vulgar language, complaints, anger, romance, or something else inappropriate;
2. Videos, audio recordings, tweets, blog posts that contain unprofessional comments;
3. Off-hand comments to employees, vendors, customers or peers that are expected more from a drunken teenager than an adult professional;
4. Insulting language and/or gossip of employees, vendors, customers or peers because we spoke more to get a reaction than to demonstrate the integrity of our company (and personal) values.
Captain Honors has provided us a gift. He got caught when many of us have slipped by. I encourage us all to pause and:
1. Be thankful that some of our comments and/or actions have not been brought to national attention; and
2. Make a commitment to pause before speaking or acting to confirm what we do next positively reflects the good character set forth in our company values.
Do not just assume your behavior is perfect because you have not been caught.
MEETING IDEAS
Front Page is a great reminder to behave our best particularly when putting something in writing, audio or video. This is a great opportunity to discuss how each employee in your organization is required to demonstrate your company values in all of their actions and words. I encourage you to pose these questions to your team and yourself as we move into the new year.
1. What are our company's core values? (Do they need to be more clearly defined?)
2. Review the article on Captain Honor. Ask people to be honest. Without requiring them to be specific, ask them to raise their hand if they did or said something in 2010 that would've been embarrassing to the company and themselves if it had been printed on the front page of the local newspaper, or worse, a national newspaper or website.
Point out that the odds are high that everyone in the room including yourself did something or said something that would be embarrassing if it could be played back. Thank the people who raise their hands for their candor. Expect that you may have at least one person who feels that it is impossible that they did anything questionable. Do not challenge them. Let it go.
3. Ask your people to suggest areas where they are most likely to be tempted to do or say something that violates your company values, such as:
- An angry customer
- A joke that is emailed to you based on race, sexuality or something else that is professionally inappropriate
- Gossip
- Frustration with a fellow employee
- A mistake or "stupid" comment/action by a customer
4. Ask for ideas on how everyone can hold each other accountable to your company values in a positive way. Let people know that you expect them to hold one another accountable, and if that is unsuccessful, that they are to report any violation of your company values to you immediately. Your company values are non-negotiable. Everyone is expected to consistently demonstrate your company values in their words and actions.
(haven't seen the USS Enterprise video? view an edited version here)
