Responses to “Tone at the Absolute Top”

In response to “Tone at the Absolute Top”:

This is a great article, Leita.  You write so beautifully and simply and that style makes your points in an almost visceral way.  

I too have been so impressed with Pope Francis.  He is the real deal.  All those silly trinkets that shout, “WWJD?” need look no farther than this good man.  

I appreciate that you took a bit of a risk with this article, Leita.  You gave us all something much larger than auditing to think about today.
-DS

Leita,

Hurrah for you and your recent article, “Tone at the absolute top”. Thank you for making me believe there are others who know what a true leader must do. However, that begs the question: what can we do to make people believe it?

I wish there were more people who walked the talk, Tone at the Top. I often use the phrase in my audit reports and when speaking to top and middle management. When I start down that path, I often get, “yeah, I hear you, but…” When I get the word ‘but’ I know the leader is not a change agent and I am wasting my time.

The favorite, “yes, I know what you mean, but our culture is too ingrained and …”,  uttered by an executive of a multimillion dollar institution that is part of a multi-institutional system; a system with no employee help-line (hotline, reporting line, tip-line), no compliance and ethics program/initiative, and, of course, no tone at the top.

One more item, the executives of this system recently received a substantial pay-raise and are now considering employee reductions to make up for a budget shortfall.
I will end with one of my favorite quotes often attributed to John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902), “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
-RS

 

Leita,

I always look forward to your email newsletters and this one did not disappoint!

Thank you for having the courage to touch on a subject many would never discuss in the workplace.
-SL

 

If you admire the pope, you could have picked a quote other than his disdain of capitalism.

Capitalism has lifted many more out of poverty than socialism.  Left-wing economic socialism has proven to be ineffective with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and its satellites in eastern Europe a couple of years before that.

Even in the pope’s home country of Argentina, Juan Peron’s socialist policies were a failure.
-JK

 

This is a nice piece Leita. Thank you!
-LW

 

Dear Leita,

This message really touched my heart, very appropriate to the season and our times. Thank you for sharing it…
-AR

 

Thanks Leita for the well written topic on leadership this month. The new Pope is inspiring indeed! Wish all leaders could follow his lead!
-MC

 

Thank you so much for reiterating what the Pope had said right before Thanksgiving!  His message is so loud and clear that I am hoping that the others like you and myself not only just hear what he’s saying, but truly get an understanding and make a change for the better in improving our lives (as better people, bosses, husbands, wives, etc.) and the lives of others around us.  

Again, thank you so much for sharing and have a wonderful day!
-CS

 

What an Awesome! Awesome! e-mail.  Thank you for starting my day with a wonderful feeling that there is hope for this age..  This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be happy in it.
-RM