July 4, 2009
Interview with Fr. Spitzer
Even “Bulldozers” Can See the Value of Culture
In a recent Q&A column, Fr. Robert Spitzer said an organization can build a Level 3 culture if 20 percent of employees work toward that goal. In this follow-up interview, he discusses his own experience with culture change and describes different conditions that promote change or hinder it. Read More »
The Levels in Action
Bob Costas vs. the Jerk
Back in the late 1980s, I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Costas when he emceed a luncheon to benefit a charity I worked for. My job that day included writing one-line introductions for 60 athletes and sports personalities who were there as celebrity guests. I felt presumptuous handing a pro like Costas 60 index cards with my recommended wording for each introduction. To my surprise, he sat with me and patiently went through all of them. Read More »
Ethics in Action
Good Ethics Is Good Business
Early in my career, I was proud to get my first management job at one of the country’s oldest nonprofit organizations. The sense of pride I felt at the start was diminished in the long run by an admission from a leader I liked and admired. Read More »
Ask Fr. Spitzer
How Many People Need to Change for Culture Change to Happen?
Q: I work in an organization where the culture isn’t great – lots of politics, mistrust, and cynicism. I’d love to help develop a better culture, but the challenge seems too big to even contemplate. How do you get thousands of people behaving one way to start behaving differently? Read More »
"The Many Faces of Fr. Spitzer"
In his tenure as president of Gonzaga, Fr. Robert Spitzer has earned a great reputation for his inspirational leadership. As he prepares to leave the post of president, the university has honored him with a stirring 9-minute video. Read More »
Ask. Fr. Spitzer
A Level 3 Mission Doesn't Guarantee a Level 3 Culture
Q: I work for a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to helping people. Since that’s what we’re doing already, why would we need the programs the Spitzer Center provides?
A: When you have a Level 3 mission, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all your people are working at Level 3 and you have a Level 3 culture. For example, if you’re a school, you have a step up in trying to achieve a Level 3 culture, because people who choose to be educators are already thinking about helping student. That’s a wonderful thing, but when you bring all these wonderful people together, there’s no guarantee they won’t behave in a way that’s more consistent with Level 2. There are several reasons for this. Read More »
Ethics in Action
Ethics With a Very Small “e”
Like most people who've worked in large corporations, I’ve undergone my share of ethics training. But before I took the Spitzer Center’s Journey to Excellence course, my definition of ethics was cramped at best. Read More »
Spitzer Center Renovates Home Page
The Spitzer Center for Ethical Leadership home page has a new look. The visually striking but uninformative sunset that filled the old home page has been trimmed, and the news and views from Fr. Spitzer and others are now featured prominently. Read More »
Interview With Fr. Spitzer
How Do Companies View the Collar?
It’s a question friends of the Center have asked in private: How do companies respond to a leadership message when the messenger is a priest? Here’s an answer provided by Fr. Spitzer himself. Read More »
The Case for Making Forgiveness a Corporate Value
One of the silliest things I’ve found in the workplace is the tendency to speak as though human beings were perfectible. You see it in phrases like “flawless execution” and “the relentless pursuit of perfection,” which are problematic as aspirations and toxic if transformed into expectations. We all make mistakes, especially when we’re trying new things or pursuing ambitious goals.The way organizations respond to mistakes says a lot about the overall health of their culture. Read More »