Impressive move this weekend by McDonalds to remove their CEO, Steve Easterbrook, for an inappropriate relationship with a member of staff. Upholding one’s personnel manual should not be the cause of a pat on the back, but in today’s world, unfortunately it is.
During Easterbrook’s tenure, McDonalds has enjoyed a resurgence in the marketplace. The stock value has doubled, tech investments have led to improved efficiencies and sales have improved. Too often Boards would have looked the other way to keep someone like this running the ship. Even Wall Street painted a negative view of his departure and downgraded the stock.
This sort of behavior should never be tolerated. Company culture is driven by what the standards of behavior are to be and then how individuals are held accountable for living them. A company’s greatest asset is its employees, their effort, intellect and drive. If you let the culture slip, employees leave or worse, don’t give their best.
Rep. Katie Hill stepped down this week as pressure mounted regarding an inappropriate relationship with a campaign staffer and potentially a member of her House staff. Her willingness to resign is refreshing in the political space. Her male counterparts should take a lesson from her. She is correct in stating there is a double standard in Congress regarding sexuality and genders.
What is amazing about all of this is the majority of Americans are sexually conservative, meaning partners should only have sex with each other, not other people. While they hold that belief to be true in their personal lives, they are unwilling to hold others to that standard.
Classic case, Donald Trump. He brags about multiple affairs, but the religious right of Americans uphold him as a fantastic person, just what the country needs. He constantly belittles others that do not agree with him, but they defend his bullying because he is under attack from the Democrats. Somewhere, I believe, that Jesus taught to turn the other cheek. Rise above the mess. Be a person of character.
This example of hypocrisy continues with how the religious right are treating Mitt Romney. Romney has had tremendous success in private and public service. Never once has he been accused of inappropriate relationships. Never once has his integrity been questioned, yet the right continuing belittles him because he calls out Trumps inappropriate behavior. They share similar political views, just not morality.
If America is ever to be great again, it must return to the moral values that it was built upon. The Founding Fathers were not perfect in their behavior, but they aspired to be better. Today, we are rising to the lowest common denominator of behavior. Congrats to McDonalds & Katie Hill for rising above and giving hope that we can be better…