A Slippery Slope
A Slippery Slope
Al Watts, inTEgro, Inc. www.integro-inc.com I had the pleasure of lunch recently with the former VP of Sales for a $16 million technology company and published author who shares my passion for “transforming business as usual into business at its best.” Mark Faris freely shares another distinguishing credential: he is a convicted felon for fraud and money laundering that led to three years of hard time away from home and family. Mark’s experience was clearly a significant defining moment of his life and career; his passionate purpose today is transforming individuals and organizations to be more honest, accountable and ethical by communicating the importance of morals, principles, and values. I was anxious to talk with him about his journey and perspective on business ethics.
Here are some take-aways from my conversation with Mark:
Too many of us grow up and go to work with a sense of entitlement: entitlement to a big job, big house, big cars and safety nets – that we’re somehow owed, or deserve a comfortable, luxurious lifestyle. For those who attain that, some are desperate and will do anything to keep it so.
For many leaders, it’s about them: “How can I get ahead / win / succeed / look good? How can I get more recognition, pay and perks? They’ve lost track of Robert Greenleaf’s admonition that “leaders are servant first” – to teach, guide and develop people so they can accomplish a worthwhile purpose together.
Organizations, too, lose sight of their central purpose of meeting legitimate needs and serving customers first. I met with Mark shortly after hearing John Taft, CEO of RBC Wealth Management U.S., and reading his book “Stewardship.” A central theme of his book is that the Lehman Bothers, Wachovias and Goldman Sachs of the investment world dig themselves holes that we fall into precisely because they’ve lost sight of their central purpose as customer agents and stewards of customers’ wealth.
Organizations and
Al Watts, inTEgro, Inc. www.integro-inc.com I had the pleasure of lunch recently with the former VP of Sales for a $16 million technology company and published author who shares my passion for “transforming business as usual into business at its best.” Mark Faris freely shares another distinguishing credential: he is a convicted felon for fraud and money laundering that led to three years of hard time away from home and family. Mark’s experience was clearly a significant defining moment of his life and career; his passionate purpose today is transforming individuals and organizations to be more honest, accountable and ethical by communicating the importance of morals, principles, and values. I was anxious to talk with him about his journey and perspective on business ethics.
Here are some take-aways from my conversation with Mark:
Too many of us grow up and go to work with a sense of entitlement: entitlement to a big job, big house, big cars and safety nets – that we’re somehow owed, or deserve a comfortable, luxurious lifestyle. For those who attain that, some are desperate and will do anything to keep it so.
For many leaders, it’s about them: “How can I get ahead / win / succeed / look good? How can I get more recognition, pay and perks? They’ve lost track of Robert Greenleaf’s admonition that “leaders are servant first” – to teach, guide and develop people so they can accomplish a worthwhile purpose together.
Organizations, too, lose sight of their central purpose of meeting legitimate needs and serving customers first. I met with Mark shortly after hearing John Taft, CEO of RBC Wealth Management U.S., and reading his book “Stewardship.” A central theme of his book is that the Lehman Bothers, Wachovias and Goldman Sachs of the investment world dig themselves holes that we fall into precisely because they’ve lost sight of their central purpose as customer agents and stewards of customers’ wealth.
Organizations and