We’ve all seen examples of bad corporate behavior, especially in the past decade or two. Mismanagement, fraud, deception… these are just a few of the bad behaviors we’ve watched headline the news. Far less often, we see the occasional headline proclaiming good corporate behavior. So what’s the difference between the companies with good behavior and the ones with bad behavior? Is corporate behavior – good or bad – something that can be taught?
Corporate behavior starts with individuals…in other words, you and your employees. You strive to hire the best employees for your business, but even good employees can occasionally behave badly. To create an environment of consistently good behavior, you must set, and adhere to, rules and boundaries for yourself and your employees.
In her article Five Lessons Corporations Can Learn From The Westminster Dog Show, author Erika Kelton likens teaching good corporate behavior to training dogs, using five basic steps:
- Play by the rules.
- Exercise restraint.
- Clean up messes.
- Praise behavior that follows the rules.
- Use negative reinforcement when rules are broken.
By consistently following these rules, you can make your employees and company Best in Show.
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
