By Shanti Atkins …
As we’ve highlighted in our ongoing You Can’t Delegate Ethics campaign, sexual harassment is not a compliance issue, it is an abuse of power issue. It can also be a neglect of power issue. It’s what happens when good people in power standby rather than intervene. And for corporate leaders, intervention is a job requirement.
Neglect of power is a very real issue when it comes to career executives. Rising to the level of the C-suite or board means you have been in a position of power for a long time. This can lead to environments in which good and well-intending people forget what it is like to be powerless. It results in a lack of empathy. And as board members, we can’t delegate empathy the same way we can’t delegate ethics.
Empathy is what allows board members to preempt crises, and to understand the subtle cultural cues that truly drive and prevent bad behavior. This requires going beyond the boardroom and gaining proximity to the issue and the people involved.
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