Governance

Nobody hires a snake intentionally. Executives with reptilian tendencies either develop them over time or reveal themselves little by little. Either way, once a snake-like leader shows his true nature, something's got to be done. Yes, he might be generating amazing results, but at what cost? Consider the long-term ramifications of keeping a snake on board: they're disssssastrous for business.

Change is a necessity at some point in every successful organization. Managing those changes can be challenging, particularly as they grow in size and scope, but having the right players in place certainly helps. HR ought to be involved from the beginning, from the planning stages to assessing the need for staffing changes and communicating plans and feedback along the...

Do you - or does your company - tend to make things harder than they need to be? Compliance is one of those areas that must be effective, but not overly complicated. Sometimes simpler is better. Take reporting employee concerns, for example. Some firms use multiple avenues for reporting staff concerns, but for most, with enough buy-in, one channel would...

If walking employees through the code of conduct involves sitting them down in front of a 50-page document, armed with a fresh pot of coffee, then you're doing it wrong. How much of that massive missive do you think they're likely to remember? Assuming retention is the aim here, may we suggest some alternate strategies? Make the experience engaging and...

Culture, ethics and compliance are inextricably linked. Where employees have faith in leadership to do the right thing, and where they see it being done from day to day, compliance is likely not to be an issue. Where there's a clear lack of communication and poor decision making at the top, morale plummets and reputation will undoubtedly suffer. Where does...

Taking to the skies or trying to land without first running through a flight checklist may mean you don't get where you're going at all, but instead wind up somewhere between your departure and arrival destinations, surrounded by plane wreckage. As with piloting an aircraft, leading a company is a complex business and one that requires a methodical, systematic approach.

Is your organization "talent poor," or just afraid to let its people take risks and spearhead change? Does the company lack in influence or in confidence? High self esteem carries individuals and businesses far, but a poverty mentality takes them nowhere good. Decisions made out of fear may keep operations afloat -- for a time -- but those that go...

If you want to drive the IT organization forward, start with taking inventory. What activities and assets add value, and which are valueless? Clear out the superfluous and free IT to do more than subsist. A thriving IT organization doesn't simply maintain the status quo; it innovates. And forward movement equals greater market share and more competitive advantage.

Glen Jenkins continues his deep dive into corporate governance through the years with today's analysis of some landmark events during the 1970s, brought on by a bank bailout, a corporation's bankruptcy and the Watergate scandal, the impacts of which reached much farther than the White House. Moral failures in each helped to set the stage for today's governance practices.

In recent years, restraints have been lifted somewhat with regard to corporate political spending, but, in response to increased pressure from the public, lobbying and political spending disclosure may very well be making a comeback. This being the case, organizations should have a good understanding of how disclosure should be properly and strategically handled.

Many of us knew before the Edward Snowden revelations that the government's reach is long, but when it was made clear just how much they truly have access to, it's fair to say that there were chills all around. Regardless of industry, organizations have a responsibility to protect consumer, patient or user data. If we don't know who's monitoring our...

How effective is corporate punishment when it comes to deterring illegal behavior? That's the question. The U.S. Sentencing Commission may soon be taking a harder line against corporations involved in cartel activity, though some experts question whether individual punishments would be better deterrents. 108 months of jail time could really drive home the message.