What #MeToo Tells Us About National Leadership

Hollywood of course isn39t the only place whereamp160high powered executivesamp160have been shown the door for bullying abuseamp160and questionable personal behavioramp160 Nor are the accusations about Leslie Moonves the powerful admired andamp160feared head of CBS just ousted one of a kindamp160 MeToo39s story isn39t only about top executives and their failingsamp160 It39s about what makes a leaderamp160 A global study by PricewaterhouseCoopers on why ethical missteps are tripping up an increasing number of CEOs spotlights the pointWith nearly 450 prominent executives and employees in companies across the country called to account over the last 18 months MeToo39s growingamp160listamp160speaks volumes about the need to right wrongsamp160 But it also is delivering a political messageamp160 With a presidential election two years away the time has come to jettison the American leadership fantasy that running the country calls for the same quottake chargequot charisma purportedly filling successful corporate CsuitesThat the White House and its quotbusinessmanquot president are a case in point goes without sayingamp160 At latest countamp16019 womenamp160have accused President Trump of sexual harassment misconductamp160oramp160deceptive doubledealingamp160to hide their affairsamp160 Add to thatamp160Stormy Daniels39 justreleased exposeamp160as well as Trump39s mendacity in the face of the facts and the world39s most scrutinized national leader seems to be living a charmed lifeamp160 It39s a safe bet that these days in any Fortune 100 boardroom with sentient occupants a CEO with Trump39s baggage would be long goneamp160amp160The problem of sexual harassment exposed by courageous women and some men amounts to far more than sordid stories of flawed personalities and individual failingsamp160 In case after case top executives created a culture that shielded others39 misbehavior as well as coerced silence from their victimsamp160 The implications matter not only for the companies involved but also the countryamp160amp160CEOsturnedpresidential wannabes long have advertised themselves as uniquely qualified for the White Houseamp160 MeToo makes clear why voters need to take a much harder look at whoever wants to parlay the title into the nation39s top jobIt39s not an exaggeration to say many Americans believe the idea that Csuite experience provides the right stuff to excel as presidentamp160 Candidates who held CEO titles haven39t been bashful about hyping the thoughtamp160 Trump took office withamp160the maximalist claim declaring he alone could fix the countryamp160 As the first MBA in the Oval Office George W Bush enjoyed the monikeramp160the CEOpresidentamp160amp160Ross Perot Steve Forbes Carly Fiorinaamp160and Mitt Romney endlessly touted their CEOsavvyamp160 So impressed with the importance of his qualifications Romney even praised the idea ofamp160a constitutional amendmentamp160to require business experience before anyone could throw a hat in the ringHowever they have promoted themselves politically ambitious CEOs have won their share of public awe and voter supportamp160 Despite the vast difference between a CEO39s responsibilities and power and a president39s millions of voters have bought their lineamp160 Their political pitch aamp160CEOamp160knows how to take charge and run government like a business has capitalized on the idolatry surrounding the corporate superstar leading some to believe they39re just what Washington needsThat said the model of celebrity CEO leadership isn39t holding up too well these daysamp160 To be fair the MeToo movement has brought the dismissal of only a small fraction ofamp160the nearly 250000 executivesamp160who hold the CEO title in American companiesamp160 Indeed tens of thousands of superb people do their best to run excellent companies including trying to deal fairly with gender race equityamp160and social concernsamp160 The numbers aren39t the issueamp160 What39s important particularly in considering 2020 is MeToo39s lesson and its implicit message about what39s needed at the topMeToo is showing that leadership is all about exemplifying ethical values not just making the trains run on time or Wall Street analysts cooamp160 The movement isn39t alone in raising the pointamp160 Take the findings ofamp160PricewaterhouseCooper39s 2017 quotCEO Success Studyquotamp160amp160 From 20122016 forced departures of CEOs due to ethical lapses at the world39s 2500 largest public companies rose by more than a third over the previous fouryear periodamp160 Companies in the United States as well as Canada and western Europe also led in departures with CEOs at the largest companies twice as likely to leave as those at smallThe analysis gave several reasons for CEO dismissals including more skeptical public scrutiny and the 247 media cycleamp160 But PwC39s conclusions are clear to prevent problems andamp160build a culture of integrity including oversight that discourages wrongdoing beginning at the topamp160 The same holds true or should for presidential leadershipamp160 It should also matter to votersamp160 When we39re witnessing celebrity CEOs stumble over ethical standards including at some of our largest corporations in evaluating those who want to lead the country it39s a twobyfour not a straw in the windamp160amp160Click the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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What #MeToo Tells Us About National Leadership

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Kent M. Harrington

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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Kent M. Harrington

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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