The distinction between legal and ethical liability is crucial in understanding the dynamics of corporate responsibility and leadership. While legal liability pertains to actions that violate laws and can lead to legal penalties, ethical liability involves behaviors that may not be illegal but compromise moral standards and public trust. This difference is particularly important in a world where businesses are increasingly scrutinized not just for compliance but for the values they uphold and the culture they cultivate. A crisis of leadership and culture arises when companies prioritize legal liability over ethical responsibility. When leaders focus solely on ensuring their actions comply with laws without considering whether their practices align with ethical standards, it creates a toxic environment. This can lead to decisions that are legally permissible but morally questionable, such as exploiting loopholes, prioritizing profit over people, or ignoring the long-term impact on communities and the environment. An ethical culture is essential for sustainable success and trust. Leaders must recognize that true leadership goes beyond avoiding legal repercussions, it requires setting a tone that values integrity, transparency, and accountability. Companies that fail to create and maintain an ethical culture may face not only legal consequences but also damage to their reputation, loss of employee morale, and a decline in customer trust. To address this crisis, organizations need to integrate ethics into their decision-making processes and daily operations. This means cultivating leadership that prioritizes ethical principles and ensuring that employees at all levels are empowered to act with integrity. Training programs, open channels for reporting ethical concerns, and a clear commitment from leadership to uphold these standards can help build a culture where ethical behavior is the norm, not the exception. Ultimately, the ability to balance legal and ethical responsibility is a true mark of leadership. Companies that navigate this balance effectively will not only avoid the pitfalls of unethical practices but also create a positive, enduring impact on society. This commitment to ethical leadership can set businesses apart as trusted and forward-thinking organizations, resilient in the face of challenges and admired for their dedication to doing what is right.
This is very prevalent in the U.S. today!! The verbal abuse is horrific, which includes bullying & harassment. Where do we draw the line on abuse of authority???
Excellent Video, he did a great speech. Thank you and thank you as well to TEDx Talks for such an amazing videos as this. Keep posting and educating the world.
Wow! If we had a few more Mel's in this world, maybe some of these places would feel the pressure to back laws that support legal options for targets of bullying in the work place.
I work for the county in central California and where I work most of the managers I deal with and supervisors are very unethical. It’s created a very dark and scary place to work and turnover is high. In addition our HR department supports those who are perpetrators of abuse and bullying and does not support the innocent victims. It’s very sad situation and I am sure the high turnover has a huge cost to the public. After I participated in an investigation as a complaint was filed against one of the managers and supervisors that was grossly and ethical my file became peppered with complaints. I work there 15 years with no issue and suddenly I was being retaliated against. HR found me guilty and did nothing to prevent further retaliation it was truly the worst year of my life I felt more betrayed then when I was in a relationship where I was cheated on that’s how betrayed I felt. Always working hard alwaysHelping out, always volunteering to go the extra mile. I no longer do any of that I now just take care of myself and go home and whenever they need help I don’t.
"Take-Aways: 1. Unsanctioned bad behavior (e.g., unethical and unprofessional) continues. 2. Leader's (in)action speaks louder than any policy or code. 3. Ethics is everybody's responsibility 4. Because something is unethical does NOT mean it is illegal... Nor is all legal behavior ethical. 5. Leadership 101 - NEVER DELEGATE ETHICS! 6. Communicate Both Compliance and Noncompliance. It therefore is the responsibility of each individual, and if/when they fail, then the ethical buck stops with their boss!"
the words about the $&$&?&show that is the american sports and how the misconduct is caused by upper management is sadly on point. Great take on ethic talk, specifically because of the examples
Is there an anonymous reporting website to report unethical behavior as a former employee for the investigation to take place against the leadership and the HR department? Like EOC has for complaints...or OSHA....
At 4.00.. the 12% leaving because of this issue should increase further to make things right. Unless there frequent people leaving under a manager/leader increases, the so called leaders continue to have unethical power.
How did this TED Talk ever pass the quality control bar expected of a TED TALK? It looks like the professor used the first half of the talk about ethics and leadership as merely a set-up to launch a public attack on his colleagues. Why did TED and SMU permit someone to present a talk with such a focus? The treatment of the audience was boorish. When the audience didn’t provide the speaker with his desired reply, he derided them. Based on his audience treatment, and the use of the TED TALK platform to publically attack colleagues, it’s ironic that the speaker’s talk was about ethics and leadership. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this TED TALK eventually get rated in a category such as the most offensive TED TALK or the most disrespectful TED TALK.
Culture is the problem. If your culture is toxic and legal but unethical then you have made your choice. Stay or go - your choice. Sell your soul for money or fame, then don't try to complain about ethics, because the culture will bury you alive. Don't be a hero once you've made your choice. Leaders matter. Role models matter. If your leader is a poor role model then either get rid of him or her or leave. That is why DJT is a terrible Pres. - bullying and lack of ethics is a poor role model for our citizens.
I agree with you. The way he explained things very fast, jumping from one point to another without completing the first point. Saying a lot of So So So When he said I am a professor, I was surprised. Maybe he didn’t have enough time to say all his point, but the point he mentioned, he should explained them more in a simple direct way.
I was going to write a comment on how this was the worst TedTalk presentation I've ever seen. Then I saw all the positive comments and got shy. But look - I'm not alone after all. The content was important. VERY IMPORTANT. But the presentation was so poor. Seemed rushed and all over the place. A lot of nervous energy. I am shocked. My expectation of a TedTalk is higher than what I've seen here is all. He mentioned time being a factor. But it just didn't seem rehearsed, and it should have been.
The distinction between legal and ethical liability is crucial in understanding the dynamics of corporate responsibility and leadership. While legal liability pertains to actions that violate laws and can lead to legal penalties, ethical liability involves behaviors that may not be illegal but compromise moral standards and public trust. This difference is particularly important in a world where businesses are increasingly scrutinized not just for compliance but for the values they uphold and the culture they cultivate.
A crisis of leadership and culture arises when companies prioritize legal liability over ethical responsibility. When leaders focus solely on ensuring their actions comply with laws without considering whether their practices align with ethical standards, it creates a toxic environment. This can lead to decisions that are legally permissible but morally questionable, such as exploiting loopholes, prioritizing profit over people, or ignoring the long-term impact on communities and the environment.
An ethical culture is essential for sustainable success and trust. Leaders must recognize that true leadership goes beyond avoiding legal repercussions, it requires setting a tone that values integrity, transparency, and accountability. Companies that fail to create and maintain an ethical culture may face not only legal consequences but also damage to their reputation, loss of employee morale, and a decline in customer trust.
To address this crisis, organizations need to integrate ethics into their decision-making processes and daily operations. This means cultivating leadership that prioritizes ethical principles and ensuring that employees at all levels are empowered to act with integrity. Training programs, open channels for reporting ethical concerns, and a clear commitment from leadership to uphold these standards can help build a culture where ethical behavior is the norm, not the exception.
Ultimately, the ability to balance legal and ethical responsibility is a true mark of leadership. Companies that navigate this balance effectively will not only avoid the pitfalls of unethical practices but also create a positive, enduring impact on society. This commitment to ethical leadership can set businesses apart as trusted and forward-thinking organizations, resilient in the face of challenges and admired for their dedication to doing what is right.
Here for my business class at ORU. Very interesting and not at all boring. Thank you!!
Preach it, Mel! The entrenched bullying by my direct supervisor was the exact reason I was so thankful my previous position came to an end.
This is very prevalent in the U.S. today!! The verbal abuse is horrific, which includes bullying & harassment. Where do we draw the line on abuse of authority???
Excellent Video, he did a great speech. Thank you and thank you as well to TEDx Talks for such an amazing videos as this. Keep posting and educating the world.
In awe of Mel Fugate's oration and knowledge!
Wow! If we had a few more Mel's in this world, maybe some of these places would feel the pressure to back laws that support legal options for targets of bullying in the work place.
I work for the county in central California and where I work most of the managers I deal with and supervisors are very unethical. It’s created a very dark and scary place to work and turnover is high. In addition our HR department supports those who are perpetrators of abuse and bullying and does not support the innocent victims. It’s very sad situation and I am sure the high turnover has a huge cost to the public. After I participated in an investigation as a complaint was filed against one of the managers and supervisors that was grossly and ethical my file became peppered with complaints. I work there 15 years with no issue and suddenly I was being retaliated against. HR found me guilty and did nothing to prevent further retaliation it was truly the worst year of my life I felt more betrayed then when I was in a relationship where I was cheated on that’s how betrayed I felt. Always working hard alwaysHelping out, always volunteering to go the extra mile. I no longer do any of that I now just take care of myself and go home and whenever they need help I don’t.
Thank you professor. very well explained.
Great Video....Experienced this in some churches. This should not continue in businesses!!
"Take-Aways:
1. Unsanctioned bad behavior (e.g., unethical and unprofessional) continues.
2. Leader's (in)action speaks louder than any policy or code.
3. Ethics is everybody's responsibility
4. Because something is unethical does NOT mean it is illegal... Nor is all legal behavior ethical.
5. Leadership 101 - NEVER DELEGATE ETHICS!
6. Communicate Both Compliance and Noncompliance.
It therefore is the responsibility of each individual, and if/when they fail, then the ethical buck stops with their boss!"
literally love you
@estherete3477 Thank you! I am glad to hear that! All the best!
14:30: Legal does not necessarily ALWAYS mean ethical.
the words about the $&$&?&show that is the american sports and how the misconduct is caused by upper management is sadly on point. Great take on ethic talk, specifically because of the examples
thank you.....great for my course.
Is there an anonymous reporting website to report unethical behavior as a former employee for the investigation to take place against the leadership and the HR department? Like EOC has for complaints...or OSHA....
I think he's really good
Fantastic!
excellent video.
Cecil Blount للىلررىاةاازدظزر
so nice!
At 4.00.. the 12% leaving because of this issue should increase further to make things right. Unless there frequent people leaving under a manager/leader increases, the so called leaders continue to have unethical power.
those are the ethical employees leaving.....
Great topic, but ok presentation
How did this TED Talk ever pass the quality control bar expected of a TED TALK? It looks like the professor used the first half of the talk about ethics and leadership as merely a set-up to launch a public attack on his colleagues. Why did TED and SMU permit someone to present a talk with such a focus? The treatment of the audience was boorish. When the audience didn’t provide the speaker with his desired reply, he derided them. Based on his audience treatment, and the use of the TED TALK platform to publically attack colleagues, it’s ironic that the speaker’s talk was about ethics and leadership. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this TED TALK eventually get rated in a category such as the most offensive TED TALK or the most disrespectful TED TALK.
I agree. He was pretty condescending and seemed to have a weird chip on his shoulder.
@@CelticSparrows so why not make a response paper against him?
He had a very irritable tone throughout his presentation. I understand the subject matter, but I became irritated myself listening to him.
Not "TedTalk" quality. Great content, but poor presentation.
How many times did he say....so?
Culture is the problem. If your culture is toxic and legal but unethical then you have made your choice. Stay or go - your choice. Sell your soul for money or fame, then don't try to complain about ethics, because the culture will bury you alive. Don't be a hero once you've made your choice. Leaders matter. Role models matter. If your leader is a poor role model then either get rid of him or her or leave. That is why DJT is a terrible Pres. - bullying and lack of ethics is a poor role model for our citizens.
WOW...POOR PRESENTER!!!!!
agreed... I thought it was going to be very interesting and relevant ... like how Mgers are the bullies.... nah
I agree with you.
The way he explained things very fast, jumping from one point to another without completing the first point. Saying a lot of So So So
When he said I am a professor, I was surprised.
Maybe he didn’t have enough time to say all his point, but the point he mentioned, he should explained them more in a simple direct way.
I was going to write a comment on how this was the worst TedTalk presentation I've ever seen. Then I saw all the positive comments and got shy. But look - I'm not alone after all. The content was important. VERY IMPORTANT. But the presentation was so poor. Seemed rushed and all over the place. A lot of nervous energy. I am shocked. My expectation of a TedTalk is higher than what I've seen here is all. He mentioned time being a factor. But it just didn't seem rehearsed, and it should have been.
great message, poor humor.
Awful
He seems intoxicated.
Quality doesn't seem great and I imagine he had a very small audience.