Leadership misconduct
What you can, should and must do when leaders misbehave
Leaders make mistakes.
This aspect of a business is undeniably true. Still, when dealing with misconduct, people often feel that organisations are often more focused on making a good marketing stunt out of it instead of showing consequences.
Consequences are lower motivation, higher employee turnover and lower productivity. Your organisation’s brand will receive significant damage as well.
How can your organisation act better?
How can you prevent damage from happening to you, your team, your brand and your organisation?
Standards
Defining standards is a process that often is hugely unpopular. It means taking an often painful look at the past and learning from the misconduct you will find.
The positive aspect about it is that people will appreciate your honesty to admit a mistake. They will now see that this behaviour will not be tolerated and that consequences will follow if repeated violations happen. A well-written Code of Conduct helps your employees and leaders know which behaviour is acceptable and which behaviour is not.
Not having a written guideline in place will always lead to unnecessary arguments. Be sure to be on the safe side by making the statements in your code of conduct unambiguously clear.
Consequences
Never make consequences vague, non-transparent or use phrases such as “We will discuss if and which steps needs to be taken in case of a violation of the rules”. The more vague your statements are, the more people will think that you try to get away with unacceptable behaviour.
Examples of possible consequences:
- informal verbal or written reprimand
- formal written warning (consider the legal aspect of the working laws of your country when doing so)
- monetary penalty (e.g. cut of bonuses)
- Donation (voluntarily or by order)
- redundancy/layoff (consider the working laws in your country when doing so)
- Acquittal (in case you conclude that the accusations are not justified)
General principle: in dubio pro reo. If in doubt, rule not guilty.
Also, every person participating in these procedures have the right to make a statement. If you violate these rules, you leave the ground of the lawful state. These rights are not up for negotiation.
Depending on the situation, a public statement may be necessary. This step into the public is only required when the person or the organisation is of public interest. In any other case, be sure that you grant and follow all privacy and GDPR-related rights.
Lead by example
A moment of truth will be when a leader in your organisation may face accusations of misconduct for the first time. Your employees will quickly realise when you practice “One law for them, another law for the leaders in the organisation”. To be as straightforward as possible, it is of no relevance how important, well-known, well-connected or knowledgeable a person is for your organisation. Misconduct and the steps following are the same for everyone, no matter if the person is the CEO or the temporary intern.
Leaders are in a privileged position. They have to live up to the expectations which are connected with holding this position. If they are unable to do so, your organisation will be better off without them.
Be sure to have a good leadership development program in place. Such a program will prevent most issues in which your organisation could run into with non-prepared leaders.
More about how to deal with leadership misconduct
in this week’s podcast: click here to listen and learn.
Delivering excellent leadership is vital for your organisation?
Let’s talk: NB@NB-Networks.com.
