Richard Maybury says it best — “Can you name one person in all the thousands of years of human history who rose to the top in politics by being honest?” As one political scandal dies down, don’t be surprised when another pops up.

Maybury also quotes one of the most brilliant and infamous books in history: The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli. Maybury points out that it is oftentimes misquoted, but never seen for what it really is – the truth “about the inherent nature and behavior of government that few are willing to face.”

This is the way it has been throughout the 10,000 years of human history. So why are we shocked every time a leader, a politician or a man of the cloth, lets us down? Fifty years ago, good guys wore white cowboy hats and bad guys wore black cowboy hats. It seemed to be a simpler time with simpler choices. But today, life has gotten more complex and that complexity is reflected in our current leadership. Integrity, honesty and ethics have become a fuzzy line between what you see and what you actually get.

Maybury goes on – “One of my favorite chapters in The Prince is number 15, in which Machiavelli lists the characteristics generally thought to be desirable in a political leader: generosity, compassion, faithfulness, courage, purity, flexibility, religiousness, and others. He explains that the leader must fake these virtues but cannot actually have them, because they would ruin him.”

So the next time you think a particular politician is there to save you, remember, it’s just show business.

Yet, not everyone is so easily corrupted. Just give some people the choice between leadership with perks, and leadership with both perks and power and watch what happens. Some put in these roles thrive, while others become corrupted. But, make no mistake about it, certain professions are made up of the hubristic and corrupt, and there is nothing we can do about it. When people let their lower animalistic nature run wild, there is no more control. As I said before, when one scandal dies down, be prepared for the next. It’s the nature of politics.

But how does this affect leadership in general? At the political level it is one thing, at the corporate level, another. How would you handle a scandalous problem as an executive? Here are three suggestions to help get you back on track and save face.

1) Admit Your Mistakes (as Honestly and as Truthfully as You Can).

Being on the board of directors for K2 Design years ago was thrilling, but it was also a tough lesson in revealing to the public the right information at the right time. Yet at times, being unable to share it right away can leave one with a sense of frustration, especially when the news is groundbreaking and positive. But what happens when the news is negative and shareholders equity is at stake?

Speaking too soon can destroy a company and ruin shareholders trust. So pick your battles, and in most cases, take the blame and resign. Unfortunately, someone has to clean up your mess, and getting out of the way will expedite the process.

On the other hand, telling the whole truth up front and attempting to make things right may be what the doctor ordered to reestablishing your credibility as well as your company’s. Who knows, you might even be forgiven. Turnaround specialists are masters at telling the truth, taking action and getting corporate profitability back on track. Take a page from their handbook and follow it.

Don’t bury the truth. That serves no one but you. Schedule that press conference and come clean…today. Jack Welch, when he was at GE, mastered the delivery of bad news while balancing future potential. Study the masters.

2) Make Real Effort to Change Your Behavior

On the road to regaining trust, try actually changing your behavior. Just look at how many celebrities sign up for rehab. It is so effective that courtroom judges grant leniency when someone admits they have a problem with substance abuse and voluntarily checks themselves in. Changing your dysfunctional activities goes a very long way to regaining trust. Time may reveal duplicity on your part, but consider your immediate actions. They are the ones that show up in the history books.

Want to have an impact? Take a good look as to why you got into hot water in the first place. Are you greedy? Do you feel you’re above everyone around you? Are you duplicitous by nature, assuming that everyone is the same? Is your behavior something that requires you to sneak around? If so, try not to wait until the public discovers your faux pas during the evening news. Get help now. If the press has reason to put you under a microscope, your reaction early on will be the one you are judged by.

And do us all a favor, don’t fake it. Show up and do the work. You’re not fooling anyone but yourself.

One thing that seems to be missing from our society these days is a sense of shame. You may not know this, but there is right and wrong behavior.

And last but not least…

3) Time May Be Your Only Ally

In a relationship, time will make things fester, but in the corporate world where trust has been destroyed and investors’ actions are hinging on the next press conference, time is the only sure-fire strategy that will help put the events behind you.

Former Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were able to put their pasts behind them because their legacy far outweighed their transgressions. Give it time. Eventually you’ll look like the comeback kid. Who knows, maybe even a certain New York Governor will be able to return to some sort of public office someday.

Unfortunately, time may be all you have. Here are just a few samplings of companies that have successfully and unsuccessfully put the past behind them:

Volkswagen took over 25 years for global consumers to forget that their biggest spokesperson was Adolph Hitler. They made a huge comeback in the 60′s by introducing the VW Beetle to the Hippy Generation.

In Bhopal, India, during the early morning of December 3, 1984, a Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant explosion released 40 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas into the air. The resulting deaths numbered over 3,000, but testimonies later on from doctors who provided medical assistance during the tragedy claim that over 15,000 was the real number.

Today, Union Carbide (now owned by Dow), is attempting to put the past behind them with a feel-good ad campaign. They introduce us to an element missing from the organic chemistry chart: Hu. It stands for the Human element and we are bombarded with eco-friendly scenes of people — the driving force behind everything.

The Union Carbide website explains away their past by placing the blame on every possibility except Union Carbide. Lawyer-speak is inauthentic and stands out like a sore thumb on their site. Some things should never be forgotten. It’s all a little creepy when you remember the past and the events of Bhopal.

Ironically Union Carbide is owned by Dow, the makers of Agent Orange.

Bear Sterns was showing signs of over extension a year ago. Who were they protecting? Not shareholders, who entrusted them with their money that’s for sure.

In these turbulent times learn to be honorable and incorruptible. Then stand by your management style. Make changes to yourself and to your organization not because it affects the bottom line, but because it is the right thing to do.

Your staff will follow you anywhere so long as you have integrity, fairness and a vision. Without your people, you wouldn’t be a leader. One can’t exist without the other. But, avoid Machiavelli’s suggestion that you should fake these qualities – who wants to follow an executive who’s faking it? And believe me, people know.

Thanks again for reading,

Brad Szollose

May I recommend?:

Richard Maybury’s newsletter – The Early Warning Report, check the site

This is a one of a kind newsletter that focuses on geopolitics, history and investment advice. I also recommend his books, especially these 5 in his Uncle Eric series: Whatever Happened To Penny Candy?, The Money Mystery, Whatever Happened To Justice, Ancient Rome: How It Affects You Today, and The Thousand Year War in The Mideast: How It Affects You Today.

For Richard Maybury’s books go to this link

Maybury has the unique distinction of being the ONLY newsletter with a 98% renewal rate. My wife and I enjoy reading it. His books and newsletter will help you understand how the United States got to where it is today financially, politically and morally.

Sign up for Maybury’s work now before you vote in the next election and before your nest egg is gone.

Former Dot Com IPO Boomer Brad Szollose, is an award winning leadership strategist, author and professional speaker who shows executives and entrepreneurs how to operate in the Information Age.

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Tags: ethical, issues, legal, politics, public

At one time or another, we have been warned to stay out of office politics-it can be the ruin of a promising career! It is an old warning with a lot of tradition to support it.

Company politics has seen its evil days, but the day when close-knit groups resented each other in general and all ambitious newcomers in particular is drawing to a close. Most people are recognizing that such intramural skirmishing for prestige and influence did the groups no good while greatly impairing the productivity of the company.

“Company” in this context is a generic term that applies to any working situation. It does not matter whether it is private industry, government agency, educational institution or some other kind of organized work situation.

When people get along together, production rises; when they do not, it falls. Politics-good or bad-is inescapable. If people are not talking about their work at the drinking fountain, during a coffee break, or at lunch, they just do not care, and that is bad.

Company politics is here to stay. To close your ears to it is not to remove yourself from politics but from the company. How else are you going to know what is going on? And if you do not know what is going on in the company, how are you to know where you are going?

If you follow three simple rules, playing good company politics will be easy, informative and rewarding.

(1). Say something interesting or constructive about your work.

(2). Say something good about your boss, supervisor, or company policy-with sincerity.

(3). Keep on doing a good job.

If you cannot do those three things after a month or two on the job, if your work is so dull and the company so uninteresting, you are in the wrong job. Start looking for a different one now!

Private life and work are both parts of you as a whole human being. They cannot be completely separate incarnations. You are probably spending your most productive hours in each day at work-five days a week! Friendships do count in the business world.

Bad politics is based on greed, selfishness, power-seeking, and often prejudice. More often than not, the leaders are insisting that some outside influence is the cause of all their problems. They are unwilling to admit that their own actions might be at fault.

I once worked in an office where the goal seemed to be finding something nasty to say about the boss. It was almost a “can you top this” kind of daily conversational game.

The two most vocal individuals had worked for the longest time in the department. They must have been getting some kind of emotional payback from their actions in order to justify working for such an individual. Possibly: “You have the title but I am better than you in every way!”

Actually company politics is not the name for it, for the company will suffer irreparable damage in the long run. It is personal or factional, or clique politics, played for the advancement of the few, and let the company go hang, as it frequently does. Yet it cannot be ignored.

If bad office politics is to be counteracted intelligently, it must be recognized for what it is, from the lowest man subjected to its pressures to the president of the firm. If one is in no position to combat it, then one must know what it is all about for his own protection.

Personal success is not to be found where partisanship and bias have more influence than merit. Always remember that recognizing the talents and achievements of your staff and co-workers is a valuable asset. If you fail to give credit where and when it is deserved, there should be no complaints when the same thing is done to you.

Hard work and attention to detail does not automatically bring a promotion. Your skill working with others is an essential ingredient. It is almost tragic to overlook the constructive side of office politics. If you do not know what is going on around you, no one is going to know you are around.

Sign up for a free Becoming-Your-Best Newsletter here – The newsletter features lifestyle changes for optimum health, living life in abundance, feeling and looking great, changing your mind to change your world and other resources for self improvement.

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Tags: corporate, ethics, politics, public, training

Feb. 5 – known as the “Super Tuesday” for presidential primaries – is arriving with all the hoopla the political scene can muster.

Candidates from both sides have been squaring off to persuade voters to mark the ballot in their favor. Each candidate believes his or hers is the only way to run our country.

In some ways, the process is characteristic of what happens in our workplaces and within our families, with feuding among people who believe they have the corner on what should be truth.

Office politics can be particularly harsh, derisive and painful. Small groups gather in the breakroom or behind closed office doors to gossip about colleagues. Often the talk is based on assumptions about how their office world should operate.

They assume that CEOs don’t care for their employees, that managers don’t consider as important what employees believe need attention. And employees themselves often view each other with suspicion. As gossip grows, the workplace can become an unhealthy environment.

A friend recently related how difficult it is to work in her office. Among her colleagues is an individual who finds fault with and is suspicious of other co-workers. She takes new employees under her wing to perpetuate the gossip chain. And every time she thinks someone is not doing what she thinks they should be doing, she calls the corporate office.

“The tension when she’s in the office can be cut with a knife,” my friend told me. “She looks for any infraction she believes has been committed and is like the office tattle-tale.”

Judgments begin to fester, dispersed among everyone due to a lack of trust and belief someone is getting something they do not deserve. Soon the infection spreads.

Recently I read some wisdom written by Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, in the 18th century. He said, “We should worry about our own spiritual lacks and our neighbor’s material lacks. But usually we do it the other way around. We worry about our neighbor’s spiritual lacks and our own material lacks.”

In essence, he is saying we should look within ourselves first to see where we lack in our work ethic, morality and spirituality. Instead of trying to tear them down or put up roadblocks to their success, we need to consider what our co-workers need from us to support them in carrying out their responsibilities,

More often than not, gossip is merely a half truth because the whole story is not known by the gossip mongers.

This kind of workplace behavior is a carry-over of the herd behavior commonly seen among adolescents. Someone gossips about another, and rumor spreads to the others in the clique without regard to the parameters of the truth. Assumptions and misconceptions form the base of the gossip.

How do we respond to the unkindness of gossip? Now, that’s where true strength of character emerges. It comes in the form of our ability to respond without retaliation when someone does something wrong.

There is a Talmudic saying, “He who takes vengeance or bears a grudge acts like someone who, having cut one hand while handling a knife, avenges himself by stabbing the other hand.”

Consider these steps suggested by seminar speaker Sara Rigler:

1) Judge the person favorably;

2) Do not speak negative, true speech about the person;

3) Do not hate the person in your heart;

4) Do not carry a grudge and do not take revenge;

5) Only confront the person privately, but only (when) you can do it (by) making the person feel like s/he was helped rather than criticized;

6) View what happened as a message to examine your own deeds.

I suspect this is easier said than done. What it does require, however, is the ability to go within ourselves and recognize that seeing deficiencies in others often is the same deficiency we need to work on ourselves. It also requires that we consider the correct response to what we envision others are doing that we believe is inappropriate.

For example, say someone leaves work early. His or her colleagues don’t know why. The result can be a false judgement.

What is the correct response? Be careful. Your response could trigger the assumption of wrongdoing when, in fact, the person may have left to attend a meeting, or attend to a work-related crisis they are not at liberty to discuss. It could be a pre-approved absence.

I remember sitting in the waiting room of my obstetrician for almost 45 minutes. Several others had been there longer than I had been and began complaining about the wait.

I refrained from complaining, since I knew that when both of my children were born during the noon hour, the obstetrician was in the delivery room attending to their births. I never complained about how long I had to wait, knowing someone else was getting the attention they needed.

Competition, both political and in the workplace, often brings out the worst in people. Harsh words are uttered, judgments made, and half-truths are manipulated to become gossip that tears down another, serving only to make the teller feel superior.

However, as the Talmudic admonition implies, our response to such behavior must rise about vengeance, carrying a grudge, or repayment with added judgments.

Lao-tzu said, “One who understands others has knowledge; one who understands himself has wisdom. Mastering others requires force; mastering the self needs strength.”

(c) All rights reserved Maralene Strom Jan-08

Maralene Strom is a speaker and author who teaches on topics dealing with grief and recovery;Issues of living life 50 & Beyond; Caregiving in extended care facilities, home care, and special needs; Communicating with Empathy & Compassion and Business Management Issues. Her website features some of the topics she speaks on with information to connect with her for tele-classes, workshops or speaking to groups, conferences, etc.—- let her help you discover your life’s meaning as you journey now and into your future.
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Tags: corporate, ethics, politics, public, training

If, you thought you could quietly go about working long hours with dedication, not bothering about others around you… and yet be successful,then welcome to the real world where only job competence or hard work is not quite enough for achieving success.

Don’t many employees with stellar records and all the necessary technical capabilities routinely lose out on lucrative projects, pay raises and promotions or are even fired for mysterious reasons, all attributable to ‘office politics’.

Oh! office politics – the bane of working life. It comes in whenever you have to deal with people and is a little similar to the peer pressure you thought you left behind in school. There is no getting away as manipulative office games impact your work environment, job effectiveness and also how others percive you. You may shout at yourself that, ‘I want to stay out’ or cry, ‘Leave me alone’, but everyone gets dragged in by hook or by crook.

In fact, politics is everywhere – it is the personality of the company and about the way things are done. So, you can’t escape by quitting your job either. Politics will follow you and the next job may just be worse!

Any time you work with human beings, you are a subject to the complexities of relationships, trust, credibility, communication, and the other nuances of getting other people to do what you want them to, or not do what you don’t want them to!

Hence,make it work for you

Its been rightly said that, “”The only losers in office politics, are those that refuse to play…”" The stakes are high and you have no choice but to figure out how to be politics-savvy to save both your job and steer your career in the right path. It does not have to be bad either – you can do it right with diplomacy and coalition building. And, once you master the social dynamics of dealing with people and getting things done, you can not only survive in political situations but also use it your advantage. A few tips on navigating the political waters:

Build relationships – Build working relationships with people around you, be it co-workers, managers, customers, suppliers, receptionists, consultants or HR. Find a common ground like mutual interests to connect with others. Draw on your social skills and be nice to people always.

Let them get to know you by being approachable, empathetic, showing genuine interest and appreciation.

Network well and persevere in helping others get what they want. It’s all about fitting in and winning trust, as your ‘friends’ will surely support you, side with you and even root for you. You can count on them and even seek their counsel if needed.

Dont backbite – Participate in badmouthing colleagues, criticising supervisors, spreading malicious rumours or making people look bad and you will only get it back in spades. Keep yourself unattached in office gossip without taking any sides.

Instead of backbiting someone, clear differences, disputes or misunderstandings by talking it out directly with the person involved. Similarly, do not indulge in futile whining and complaining sessions; seek constructive criticism that can help you improve.

Raise objections – While you should not play dirty to advance your own motives or hinder others, do not let people take advantage of you either. Only if you value yourself and your skills, will others respect the same.

Be assertive when required and raise firm objections to any opposition or nasty behaviour. For instance, if someone is badmouthing you, confront him/her with a level headed discussion, and you may just get them to make amends.

Blow you own horn – In today’s times when most employees are expendable, you have two jobs – your regular job and your other job of chief promoter or chief salesperson of yourself. Cultivate a positive, simple and accurate image by being seen in the right way.

Publicise your accomplishments and let the right people know about the great job you are doing. Take pains to preserve a professional image, ethical reputation and credibility.

Last but not the least, office politics is part and parcel of the corporate game.

So, take it in a light-hearted stride without giving in to stress or emotional outbursts.

On balance, it’s all about power, politics and influence. It can even be said that people are hired for what they know and fired for who they are.

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Tags: ethical, ethics, politics, law, legal

“In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people… they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.”

Ken Blanchard

Who is accountable in Washington? As the Foley scandal spiraled out of control, government leaders took cover. Former Representative Mark Foley escaped congressional punishment by resigning in the middle of the scandal. House Speaker Dennis Hastert proclaims that he did not do anything wrong; however, Hastert publicly stated he accepts full responsibility. Many in Congress worried about the political fallout. Internal polling had shown that House Republicans could suffer massive loses if Hastert doesn’t resign. The results were much worse.

On election day, voters led a massive revolt against the incumbents. This created one of the largest congressional shift since 1994. Exit polls showed that voters were more concerned about ethics than any other subject. Four Republicans resigned from the House this year due to ethical issues. Currently, American politicians suffer credibility problems. An USA Today/Gallup Poll of 1,009 adults found that only 15 percent of the people gave U.S. senators high or very high marks for honesty and ethical standards. The U.S. representatives didn’t do any better at 14 percent.

As each party tries to either take advantage of a “hot button” issue or perform damage control, followers grow increasingly cynical about government leadership. Both party expects each congressperson to follow the party line. Sometimes this blind obedience leads to going against one’s principles. Obviously, this is done with transactional relationships with peers. On the other hand, ethics guru Cuilla maintains that coercion is not true leadership. She argues that ethics is at the heart of good leadership.

If one evaluates these statements, the question becomes, how can any good leader blindly follow any group or party? What is the price of surrendering one’s core values? A true leader stands up for his principles even though it may be forced to go against his social network. Therefore, politicians need to foster more value-based leadership.

References:

Ciulla, J.B. (1998). Ethics: The Heart of Leadership. Westport, CT: Praeger.

FoxNews.com (2006). Hastert sys he did nothing wrong in foley page scandal. Received on October 13, 2006, from this site.

Koch, W. (December 12, 2006). Poll: Washington scandals eating away public trust. USA Today.

Margasak, L. (October 8, 2006). One thing’s for sure in Foley investigation. Associated Press.

© 2006 by Daryl D. Green

Daryl D. Green, who is an international strategist, has over 17 years of managing government contracts. He is considered one of the savviest strategists of his generation. With more than 100 articles published globally, Mr. Green has been noted and quoted by USA Today and Associated Press.

Want more insight on the public sector? Get a copy of More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service here. For more information, please visit this site

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Tags: ethics, political, policy, public, politics

All too often we watch the Senators of the United States of America make statements on our television sets while we are in our own living rooms. If you have been watching politics on TV for the last few decades you have obviously seen a repeat of the past and it is relatively obvious to you when they are completely lying and blowing smoke up the rear end of Americans.

We need the abatement of Senatorial insincerity and we need to make sure that our elected representatives do not treat us as fools. Remember they are our elected representatives and actually they work for us. If you see your local senator in your district changing his mind or has been wishy-washy on issues or if you catch them in an outright lie then it is your duty as an American to support a more noble candidate.

If there is no more noble candidate running and it is a division between a choice of the lesser evils then you might consider running for office because that is the right thing to do and sometimes it takes sacrifice to keep our great Republic supercharged.

The United States of America is the greatest nation ever created history of mankind and it is that way because people cared enough to do something about the problems that they see. It is definitely a problem when we have senators who are insincere and tell us what we want to hear rather than the truth. If we cannot trust are all government we cannot trust ourselves because we own it. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags:ethics, politics, public, cunfucian, islamic

Is the earth warming up? Are the polar ice-caps melting? If so, at what rate? These and a multitude of other global warming questions are mounting up across the world. Are there any answers to these questions? You bet! Take your pick. The answers range from “global warming doesn’t exist” to doom and gloom prophecies that it is already too late to save the planet.

The problems is that the environment has become a political and economic issue and the formidable forces of politics and economics have drowned out proper science. We can’t even hope for a consensus of opinion because views are too polarised. Apart from political considerations, there appears to be a genuine failure to agree between scientists themselves. By scanning the wide vista of opinions out there, the only deduction I can make is that there is an approximate consensus that there is some warming of the earth taking place. That’s about it. Many say that this is not to be treated as unusual and is not man made. Others say that the whole phenomenon is man made and requires urgent action.

So what about those governments and those in government that simply want to do the right thing? Do they risk wrecking global economies by drastically cutting back on CO2 emissions and other pollutants? Or do they do nothing and risk catastrophe? And what of the rest of us? Are we to remain powerless while the world slugs it out? Can anybody or any organisation give us some definitive statement of the true position and precisely what is to be done?

Businesses also need facts. They are not against taking whatever action is necessary to deal with the situation. After all, they need to protect the interests of their owners as well as their staff and management. They will act if they are told exactly what is to be done. The trouble is that one business will not act in isolation if it means they will be disadvantaged in their market. Because many markets are global, this requires global decision making. There are a few business who are actually demanding some kind of legislation – that is, some leadership – so that they can act multilaterally on a level playing field and get the job done, whatever it takes. I am sure these demands will grow louder as the uncertainty continues.

So, we are back to square one. No global decisions, no global consensus and no significant action.

There are some shafts of light that can be seen through this obstruction. The above assumes that reduction in CO2 emissions and other pollutants will harm businesses. If it is done at too short notice and without proper consideration then that is probably true in nearly all cases. Let us consider, though, that energy costs money and the use of energy is the major cause of CO2 emissions. Companies can do something about their CO2 emissions and gain a financial advantage. Why? Because of simple mathematics. Cutting energy consumption reduces bills and – may help to save the planet.

Take building design as an example. Using solar panels fixed to the roof of a building can allow that building to supplement its energy requirements.

Another example: distribution companies can invest in software and working practices to reduce empty running. Today there are many regions where vehicle utilisation falls below 50%. We know this can be improved. Why is it that frozen food vehicles have a higher vehicle utilisation rate than dry goods vehicle when they both carry long life goods? Answer: because frozen goods transport is more expensive. Because of this higher cost, carriers have found ways to consolidate loads to reduce empty running. So it can be done when the incentive is there. The point I am making is that the financial incentive is already there – there just happens to be a greater financial incentive for the frozen food sector. The environmental incentive therefore goes hand-in-hand with the economical incentive.

With the advent of home shopping over the internet we have seen the growth of small vans that are driving up and down the nooks and crannies of the country making deliveries of one or two parcels or a couple of bags of shopping. Isn’t it time some of these operations were consolidated? For what it is worth, we are doing our bit. Arkay Hygiene dispatches goods using a national UK courier or by using Royal Mail. By using such large carriers we know that routes are planned to carefully avoid excessive dedicated journeys.

When environmental requirements and economical requirements coincide – as they so often do – I see no reason why unilateral action cannot be taken to reduce energy consumption – whatever the scientists and governments say about the wider picture. And the sooner we agree on the global way forward the better for all of us.

If you want your fly killers delivered as efficiently as possible, try us at Arkay Hygiene. We are proud to cover the whole UK with deliveries that range from replacement uv bulbs to mighty IND61 fly killers. If you need to know any more about logistics and distribution, have a look at this web site

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Tags: ethics, global, business, politics, environmental

Is the earth warming up? Are the polar ice-caps melting? If so, at what rate? These and a multitude of other global warming questions are mounting up across the world. Are there any answers to these questions? You bet! Take your pick. The answers range from “global warming doesn’t exist” to doom and gloom prophecies that it is already too late to save the planet.

The problems is that the environment has become a political and economic issue and the formidable forces of politics and economics have drowned out proper science. We can’t even hope for a consensus of opinion because views are too polarised. Apart from political considerations, there appears to be a genuine failure to agree between scientists themselves. By scanning the wide vista of opinions out there, the only deduction I can make is that there is an approximate consensus that there is some warming of the earth taking place. That’s about it. Many say that this is not to be treated as unusual and is not man made. Others say that the whole phenomenon is man made and requires urgent action.

So what about those governments and those in government that simply want to do the right thing? Do they risk wrecking global economies by drastically cutting back on CO2 emissions and other pollutants? Or do they do nothing and risk catastrophe? And what of the rest of us? Are we to remain powerless while the world slugs it out? Can anybody or any organisation give us some definitive statement of the true position and precisely what is to be done?

Businesses also need facts. They are not against taking whatever action is necessary to deal with the situation. After all, they need to protect the interests of their owners as well as their staff and management. They will act if they are told exactly what is to be done. The trouble is that one business will not act in isolation if it means they will be disadvantaged in their market. Because many markets are global, this requires global decision making. There are a few business who are actually demanding some kind of legislation – that is, some leadership – so that they can act multilaterally on a level playing field and get the job done, whatever it takes. I am sure these demands will grow louder as the uncertainty continues.

So, we are back to square one. No global decisions, no global consensus and no significant action.

There are some shafts of light that can be seen through this obstruction. The above assumes that reduction in CO2 emissions and other pollutants will harm businesses. If it is done at too short notice and without proper consideration then that is probably true in nearly all cases. Let us consider, though, that energy costs money and the use of energy is the major cause of CO2 emissions. Companies can do something about their CO2 emissions and gain a financial advantage. Why? Because of simple mathematics. Cutting energy consumption reduces bills and – may help to save the planet.

Take building design as an example. Using solar panels fixed to the roof of a building can allow that building to supplement its energy requirements.

Another example: distribution companies can invest in software and working practices to reduce empty running. Today there are many regions where vehicle utilisation falls below 50%. We know this can be improved. Why is it that frozen food vehicles have a higher vehicle utilisation rate than dry goods vehicle when they both carry long life goods? Answer: because frozen goods transport is more expensive. Because of this higher cost, carriers have found ways to consolidate loads to reduce empty running. So it can be done when the incentive is there. The point I am making is that the financial incentive is already there – there just happens to be a greater financial incentive for the frozen food sector. The environmental incentive therefore goes hand-in-hand with the economical incentive.

With the advent of home shopping over the internet we have seen the growth of small vans that are driving up and down the nooks and crannies of the country making deliveries of one or two parcels or a couple of bags of shopping. Isn’t it time some of these operations were consolidated? For what it is worth, we are doing our bit. Arkay Hygiene dispatches goods using a national UK courier or by using Royal Mail. By using such large carriers we know that routes are planned to carefully avoid excessive dedicated journeys.

When environmental requirements and economical requirements coincide – as they so often do – I see no reason why unilateral action cannot be taken to reduce energy consumption – whatever the scientists and governments say about the wider picture. And the sooner we agree on the global way forward the better for all of us.

If you want your fly killers delivered as efficiently as possible, try us at Arkay Hygiene. We are proud to cover the whole UK with deliveries that range from replacement uv bulbs to mighty IND61 fly killers. If you need to know any more about logistics and distribution, have a look at this web site

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Tags: ethics, global, business, politics, environmental

Thousands of years ago, Aristotle said: Actions determine what kind of characteristics are developed.

How many times do we fail to take action, but continue to moan and complain about the state of our personal lives, professional lives and even business lives even though we say we want to master success?

Recently, I gave a 20 minute presentation to a group of local business owners and executives – all women. In the one page handout, gave a mini-action plan. The essence of this mini-action plan was:

How many times do we hear something, but fail to take action? How can we say that:

But fail to initiate specific changes to realize those wants, hopes, dreams and goals?

There is a common adage about walking the talk. Simply speaking, taking actions or not taking actions boils down to each person’s individual character or their ethics and beliefs. So when you know that you need to do something and fail to take action, consider how that it affecting your personal character.

Are you growing forward? The M.A.P. for Success, a free email course may help you begin to chart a forward course for business, professional or personal success. Visit this site.

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Tags: ethics, aristotle, politics, nichomachean, summary

Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The sin is limitations. As soon as you once come up to a man’s limitations, it is all over with him.

Emerson

Today most average Americans are reluctant to discuss politics. Some are disgusted with politics in general. Unfortunately, this disgust is not without merit. American politics are rooted in American political culture that promotes that government ought to work in accordance with a higher standard of right and wrong. It believes that the political system ought to operate in accordance with popular sovereignty.

It concept is a value that relates to the belief that the only legitimate basis of political authority is the consent of the govern. However, the American political system stands different. Nelson, author of Why Americans hate Politics and Politicians, acknowledged that politics and politicians are imperfect; Americans are growing weary and taking actions. Antiopolitics constitutional amendments are surfacing in a hope of providing term limits of members of Congress and a proposal to require a balanced budget.

Unfortunately, Americans are now cynical of political figures as it relates to personal values. Postmodern influences have create an atmosphere of untrust of traditional institutions. Kouzer and Posner, authors of Credibility, admit that three-fourths of employees view top executives do pretty much what they want no matter what people think. They argue that the increase in cynicism in the workplace is due the decline of credibility among executives. This cynicism is quickly found in the political arena. As each party tries to either take advantage of this “hot button” issue or do damage control, followers grow increasingly cynical about government leadership.

Nelson, a political guru, argued that American cynicism have evolved for many reasons. The government has been caught in various lies and half-truths, including Vietnam War, Watergate, and Iran-Contra Deal. Some argue that the political office is so time consuming that only people who are willing to become a full-time politician can do it. However, Americans have never really been pro-politics or pro-politicians. With the incoming of new politicians to Congress this year, many individuals wonder if US politicians can regain public trust. Only time will tell.

References:

CNN (2005). Reid: White House owes an explanation. Received on October 31, 2005 from website.

Ciulla, J.B. (1998). Ethics: The Heart of Leadership. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Draft, R. (1995). Organization Theory & Design. Congress gets low ratings on ethics, honesty.

Harris, J. (April 12, 2005). In recent scandals, a rethinking of capital’s conventional wisdom. Washington Post.

Heuser, B. (2005). The Ethics of Social Cohesion. Peabody Journal of Education. 80(4), pp.8-15.
Kern, C. (2003). Creating and Sustaining an Ethical Workplace Culture, Pepperdine University.
King, S. (2006). The Moral Manager. Public Integrity. 8(2), pp.113-133.
Lester, W. (2005). Associated Press. Congress gets low ratings on ethics, honesty.

Nelson, M. (1994). Why Americans hate Politics and Politicians. Virginia Quarterly Review. 70(4), p.636, 18p.

Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in Organizations. Delhi, India: Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2006 by Daryl D. Green

Daryl D. Green has published over 100 articles in the field of decision-making (personal and organizational), leadership, and organizational behavior. Mr. Green is also the author of four books, including More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to make better decisions? If you answer “”yes,”" then go to the ‘master decision-making’ website

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Tags: ethical, theory, public, political, politics

Conservatives are already calling Hillary Clinton a Communist and she has not even thrown her hat into the ring for the Democratic Party Presidential Election yet? Many others are calling her a socialist, but her own far-left party members are calling her a traitor for her stance on International Terrorism and her leanings towards the middle.

What does Hillary Clinton need right now to over come all these labels, many of which are contradictory in nature? Can her political team over come these early on attacks? Some say it makes sense for Hillary Clinton to wait before answering these scandalous comments about her personal character and her vision for America.

Of course, Hillary Clinton cannot wait to long to take a stand against her opponents and detractors and yet on the other hand she cannot afford to show her hand in the high-stakes game of human politics. Will Hillary Clinton try to appease the far left in order to get the rabble rousers to support her? If she tries too hard will she alienate any potential crossover voters in the future if she happens to win the political primary for the Democratic Party?

If Hillary Clinton takes a moderate stance early on during the Democratic Party primary will she have a chance of securing her party’s nomination for president of the United States of America? Hillary Clinton will obviously have the top public relations people on the planet working on her campaign. But can she win? The future holds many clues and the answer to that question. From a public-relations standpoint it is an excellent case study. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; here. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: strategic, public relations, politics, communication, vision