Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP
Bill McDermott emphasizes the importance of holding even top performers accountable to ethical policies. He tells of an instance in his career where this was especially hard to do, but was absolutely the right thing for the company.
Teaching Notes
Use the following prompts to facilitate a guided discussion on this installment of Walking the Talk: Insights on Putting Ethics into Practice.
Why is it critical to “draw a line in the sand”? Why is it important for the individual? For the organization?
How can thinking about the long-term health of an organization help us make the difficult decisions?
Discuss an example where you or one of your colleagues experienced a dilemma with a top performer’s behavior. What was the thought process in deciding what to do?
What leadership lessons can be learned from the experience that Bill McDermott describes? What values does it enforce, for both the leader making the decision and the employees watching the decision?