In this episode of Lead to Soar, Mel, Michelle and Erika explore the ethical challenges of layoff culture and executive decision-making. Inspired by Seth Godin's Akimbo podcast, they discuss how stock options influence corporate decisions and the importance of ethical frameworks like ESG. The conversation covers the impacts of layoffs on employee trust and morale, differences in labor laws, and strategies for leaders to foster ethical practices.
Episode Highlights
Ethics in Leadership:
Importance of compliance and ethics frameworks.
Universal ethical standards in business.
Incentives and Decision Making:
Impact of executive stock options on business decisions.
Examples of strategic profit-driven decisions, like Google’s email promotions.
Layoff Culture:
Negative effects of frequent layoffs.
Labour law differences between the US and Australia.
Trust and Employee Relations:
Building trust in leadership.
The erosion of trust due to layoff culture.
Unionisation and Employee Advocacy:
Unionisation as a response to unethical behaviour.
Importance of diverse and ethical board governance.
Practical Advice for Leaders:
Strategies for influencing ethical practices.
Importance of personal integrity and aligning actions with values.
Leadership Call to Action
Implement Ethical Frameworks: Establish and enforce clear ethics and compliance frameworks.
Foster Trust: Create an environment where employees feel valued and trusted.
Encourage Board Diversity: Advocate for diverse and accountable board members.
Promote Open Communication: Allow employees to voice concerns without fear.
Prepare for Unionisation: Address the underlying issues that drive unionisation.
Reflect on Leadership Values: Align your actions with personal and organisational ethical standards.
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