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Tone from the Top, Bottom, and Everywhere in Between
The document discusses the concept of 'tone at the top' in organizations, emphasizing that it encompasses collaboration and modeling ethical behavior across all levels, not just senior management. It highlights the importance of effective communication, a well-written values statement, and leveraging one's sphere of influence to promote ethics and compliance. The author, Dr. Christopher Bauer, encourages individuals to actively model appropriate behaviors and reduce barriers to ethical practices within their organizations.
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Tone from the Top, Bottom, and Everywhere in Between
- 1. Tone from theTop, Bottom and Everywhere In-Between: 4 Ways to Leverage Your Influence to Assure Ethics, Compliance & Accountability Dr. Christopher Bauer
- 2. Dr. Christopher Bauer ChristopherBauer, PhD, is a licensed psychologist by training with more than 25 years of experience in helping organizations develop cultures of ethics, compliance and accountability. Besides his expertise in organizational culture change, Christopher Bauer's unique style and contributions to reducing ethical problems in organizations have led him to be recognized with the Certified Fraud Specialist designation by the Association of Certified Fraud Specialists. He is also a professional member of the National Speakers Association and has earned their Certified Speaking Professional designation.
- 3. Poll Question 1 Wouldyou say that your organization demonstrates “tone at the top”? • Yes • No • Some of the time • I can’t figure it out
- 4. What does theworld’s greatest pizza have to do with tone at the top?
- 5. What “Tone atthe Top” isn’t • One (or two or three or four) people. • Senior management acting properly (at least not if this is all they’re doing). • A really great ethics code endorsed by senior management. • A really great code of conduct endorsed by any of the few folks who have actually read it.
- 6. What is “Toneat the Top”? First You Have To Define “Tone” Then You Have To Define “The Top” So let’s get to that…
- 7. What Actually is“Tone”? • It’s not one or more documents. • It’s not one or more people modeling appropriate decision-making and behavior. • It’s not well-developed ethics and compliance programming. • It’s not well-conceived and well-implemented oversight. It’s the interaction of all of these!
- 8.
- 9. Whatever YOU canbring to this equation to visibly/audibly reinforce any or all of its component parts.
- 10. Where is “atthe Top”? Wherever you are…
- 11. Remember • We allhave a sphere of influence, whether formal, informal, or both. • Neither our leadership abilities nor our influence are defined by our job title or job description.
- 12. Therefore… “The Top”is • Your work group • Your department • Your division • Your entire organization • ‘Your personal pizza shop’… We all have influence, let’s use it consciously, strategically, and wisely!
- 13. So what isthe most important message we can communicate to employees? Ethics and compliance are just like customer service… The Message
- 14. Common Barriers What arethe most common barriers to employees with this? • “There’s no tone at the top.” • “I’m not paid to do that.” • “Let me tell you how things really work around here…” • “There will be hell to pay.” It’s your job to do whatever you can to reduce barriers and assure there’s no retaliation.
- 15. Sphere of Influence ButI’m not a supervisor/manager/executive… Save that nonsense. You have a sphere of influence. Use it!
- 16. Shaping Ethics &Compliance The single most effective method for shaping ethics & compliance? And please, please, please don’t think of this as an anti-climax.
- 17. Here it is… Modelingand reinforcing appropriate behavior. That’s something we all can do, regardless of our job title or job description... Hint: Like so many of the most effective techniques, this isn’t always easy but it’s always do-able.
- 18. Questions so far? Send‘em on in.
- 19. Poll Question 2 Doyou have a Values Statement? • Yes • No • Yes, but I couldn’t tell you what it says. • I don’t know.
- 20. Most Effective Tool Thesingle most effective formal tool you can use to promote ethics & compliance? A well-written, well-implemented values statement.
- 21. Why a ValuesStatement? • It gets everyone on the same page with how decisions are to be made. • It gets everyone on the same page with how to evaluate the appropriateness of behavior – both our own and others’. • It gives you a highly effective base from which to have discussions about ethics and compliance with others.
- 22. Need Info? Need informationon writing a high-impact values statement? Watch the webinar recording: http://i-sight.com/resources/webinar-how-to-write-a-values-statement-that-encourages-ethical- behavior/ Or, of course, feel free to contact me directly as well at: Chris@ChristopherBauer.com
- 23. Easy Opportunities What arethe easy opportunities to leverage these ideas? • Training • Supervision • Counseling • Coaching • Performance appraisals And, most importantly?
- 24. Informal Conversations (You dohave those, don’t you???)
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- 26. Want to HelpCreate the Right Tone? • Tone at the top starts with your own personal “greatest pizza in the world”. It’s wherever you are, not just “up there on top” somewhere. • Then, start spreading (and reinforcing) the word. Easy? Not always. Simple? Each and every time.
- 27. Additional Resources FreeWeekly Ethics Thought The Trust Foundry Blog Free Ethics/Values ‘Opportunity Audit’ www.ChristopherBauer.com
- 28. Thank-you for participating Ifyou have any questions, please feel free to get in touch: Chris@ChristopherBauer.com www.ChristopherBauer.com or call (800) 884-1569 or (615) 385-3523 Questions about i-Sight? Contact Joe Gerard, Vice President Marketing and Sales j.gerard@i-sight.com