As the storm created by the hacking of cell phones by individuals working for News of the World starts to wane, there are many lessons to be learned. Rupert Murdoch and his son spent all last week engaged in damage control, issuing an apology to the family of a murder victim, the news community and the world.
The decision of some of the management staff working for Murdoch’s news organization not only forced the resignation of several of his deputies, but it cost his News Corp Empire billions in lost value. My question to those involved, was it worth it? In their quest to jockey for position to grab the next big headline and story, they were willing to engage in the most unethical and immoral behavior by conducting illegal eavesdropping.
Why did the deputies and others in Murdoch’s organization believe it was, first of all, right, and second, that they would get away with hacking murdered victim’s cell phones and those of celebrities and even 911 victims. Was it the state of our modern culture or was it the pressure to drive revenue?
Since the story broke, we find out that there were many others who may have been involved. The resignation of Britain's most senior police officer reveals another casualty of the scandal.
The culture of many companies is one of doing whatever is necessary to make money. Although walking the tightrope between unethical and ethical behavior has gone on for some time, tough economic times reveal the underlying character of a person and even a company.
What is more concerning than anything to me is the fact that when the news broke, and the leadership was questioned, they downplayed the situation. It was only when more scrutiny and pressure was applied that they finally started to cooperate.
As the fallout continues and the Murdochs’ fall from grace works itself out through hearings and the courts, be aware that the next big scandal is right around the corner. How do I know? The hunger for power and money has an insatiable appetite and men and women will do most anything to feed it.
Why is doing the right thing so difficult? Being fair and honest in business dealings seems to be old fashioned. When things get tough do you struggle to do what’s right?
Do you compromise your values and beliefs? If you do, be sure your sins will find you out.
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