Multiple brands have suffered reputational damage following news of abusive work environments. Fox News, NBC, Unicef, The Weinstein Company. Even NPR is on the list, following accusations against Garrison Keillor and head staff in their main office. Welcome to the #MeToo movement. The strategic question is not, in my mind, “Why did abuse occur?” Rather, it’s “How did abusive behavior happen in organizations that had everything in place we thought should prevent such abuse?” Value statements Policies from the human resources department Compliance training for all employees Compliance systems for reporting bad behavior I for one am not surprised the fortress failed. During my tenure at a Global Fortune 500 company, my project leader accosted me verbally at a dinner. The ex-marine insisted on knowing my politics, railed against political correctness, and discussed owning assault-style weapons. He would use them, he claimed, to…
Reflections from Austria
I am spending two weeks, mostly in Austria, exploring the Eastern Alps and biking along the Donau (Danube) River, before seeing Wein (Vienna) and Prague in The Czech Republic. Austria is exquisite. The majestic views here make Wisconsin’s landscapes look like a table model for the real thing. (And I love Wisconsin’s land.) In Saltzburg, an imposing castle stands atop the city. (The photo is an IPhone shot I took in Salzburg.) Indeed in most significant Austrian cities there are castles or grand churches hundreds of years old, each so stately it defines the character of the community. I can’t help but wonder how the imposing presence of the past impacts those who live in Austria today. Unlike the US which grew steadily, the Austrian-Hungarian empire significantly shrunk following World Wars. How does this affect the cultural norms passed from generation to generation?…