A continuing and difficult challenge for companies is dealing with partners, vendors or customers for example, who do not share the same commitment to conducting business with the highest ethical standards. This creates conflict for a firm’s employees, who are charged with and motivated to reach various financial targets, but who can often see a confusion of objectives and therefore are uncertain about the correct behavior.
This is a situation where companies must supply substantial support for their personnel who confront these conflicting objects. Very clear statements of expected behavior are necessary, and in this section’s Resource Library there are several examples of company documents that are explicit and detailed about the behavior that is expected. These statements, however, have to be accompanied by management actions that reinforce and do not undermine the clarity of the message. Companies that pay lip service to walking away from unsavory deals, but then punish a person who has missed financial targets because of this are being unfair to their employees.
There are interesting videos and transcripts of executives whose companies firmly and comfortably draw the line, and who will, if necessary, “fire” customers or vendors who cannot or will not play by the same rules.