The Failure Of Success Williamsburg PDT December 7, 2018 VADM Lou Crenshaw CDFM United States Navy, Retired Williamsburg PDT December 7, 2018

The Bathsheba Syndrome and You The Bathsheba Syndrome: The ethical failure of successful leaders by Dean C. Ludwig & Clinton O. Longenecker

The Failure of Success Ethical failures in leaders is a product of success, not pressure to perform Success may cause leaders to shift focus from those things that made them successful to less important issues Success leads to access to privileged information that may be abused Success leads to unrestrained control of an organization Success leads to inflated ego, leading one to believe they can fix anything David is not where he is supposed to be left job to Joab, his right-hand man delegation not the problem lofty position let him see things he should not see Bathsheba wife of Uriah Sleeps with her bring Uriah back gets him drunk give him note to Joab after Uriah dies, sends notes that nothing wrong happened Prophet Nathan, an outsider, exposed David

Takeaways You are where you are to focus doing what is right for your organization, not yourself There will always be temptations Unethical behavior is a conscious choice and is driven by personal gratification, not the needs of an organization It’s impossible to be unethical and not implicate or involve others Cover ups always do more damage Not being caught doesn’t mean you got away with anything Getting caught can destroy the leader, the organization, innocent people and everything the leader worked for Those who are caught are always sorry

Why we lie Source: “Why We Lie”, National Geographic, June 2017

How often do we lie Source: “Why We Lie”, National Geographic, June 2017

Lying Fun Facts The ability to lie is in our DNA Children begin to realize not everyone is being truthful around the age of 3 Lying is a sign of healthy cognitive growth (autistic children are not good at lying) Children get better at lying with age There is more than one alternative to lying The more lies, the easier it is (amygdala less responsive) There is no such thing as “Truth Serum” People are more likely to lie in an email than in a written letter Law enforcement officials can lie to you about the evidence they have You can tell the truth without being truthful “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,...Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.” Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Sailing Directions Set the standard Use moral reminders (EAs work well) Seek role models Be self-aware Attend to “nagging feelings” Fill the “Knowing-Doing” gap Seek advice Practice ethical fitness Get out of the office Listen to and value all opinions (Don’t shoot the messenger) Reflect. Make time for yourself everyday Be a role model (you are whether you choose to be or not!)

How will it make me feel about myself? Ethics Check Is it legal? Will I be violating either civil law or company policy? Is it balanced? Is it fair to all concerned in the short term as well as the long term? Does it promote win-win relationships? How will it make me feel about myself? Will it make me proud? Would I feel good if my decision was published in the newspaper? Would I feel good if my family knew about it? Source: The Power of Ethical Management by Ken Blanchard and Norman Vincent Peale. William Morrow & Co. 1988

Some Final Thoughts ?