Jul24

We all get complacent sometimes. We have comfort zones. We do the things we enjoy, that feel good, that come easily. That’s why many people surround themselves with people who agree with them, think like them, and support them. The CEO of a large company does not have that luxury.

In return for the outlandish compensation being heaped on them by the shareholders, the CEO must immerse himself or herself in the uncomfortable, the unfamiliar, the different opinion. Only in that way can they keep the company strong and growing. Only then can they earn what they are being paid. Only then can they, and their shareholders, avoid a debacle like Enron.

There are many lessons that can be learned from the collapse of Enron. Any organization has an obligation to all of its stakeholders, not just its shareholders, and those obligations were not met in this case. Executives at Enron made decisions that were wrong. Some of their decisions may have involved illegal activities. Many people also are beginning to question the professional conduct of auditors Arthur Andersen. Did their interest in preserving their income cloud their judgment? We will leave those discussions for others and focus instead on the key management failure - curbing dissent.

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