Over the past couple of months, there have been multiple CEOs acting poorly. The first that comes to mind is Andy Byron, former CEO of Astronomer.
Byron was caught on a Coldplay Kiss Cam snuggling a woman. A woman who turned out not to be his wife… and he wasn’t her husband. But she was the Head of People at Astronomer.
Uh oh…
That’s the first couple misbehaving. More recently, Piotr Szczerek, the CEO of paving company Drogbruk. His goof-up happened at the US Open after Kamil Majchrzak won a match.
Majchrzak was handing his hat off to a young fan in the US Open stands. Szczerek saw Majchrzak lifting his hat to give to someone. He leaned in and snatched the hat from the young fan.
That young fan looked heartbroken. He was upset. He was almost in tears.
Both of these incidents were caught on camera. Both of these incidents have had repercussions for their respective companies.
Why?
Because you represent the organization.
You Represent The Organization
Both of these CEOs failed to consider the one thing they do: represent the organization. They thought their actions wouldn’t be seen. They’d be done in secret. They were wrong.
There’s been a lot of public blowback because of their actions. The one was a breach of trust against their spouse. The other was an adult treating a child poorly. Both told the world more about their organization than any mission statement.
What did their actions tell the world?
- The rules don’t apply to me
- I deserve more
- Ethics aren’t important
- I’m more important than other people
Our actions tell the world a lot. A lot we may not want the world to know. And, sadly, those actions say to the world to do business elsewhere.
Could you imagine being Szczerek or Byron? Could you imagine your greatest failure representing the organization you claim to hold so dear?
You may not have a Coldplay kiss cam moment. You may not snatch a US Open hat from a child. However, you may also engage in other activities that could poorly represent your organization.
What could you do that reflects poorly on your organization or church?
- Flip off someone in traffic who recognizes you
- Cheat on your business taxes
- Blow up at someone over a minor offense
- Lie to your coworkers
- Fail to pay your bills
Our actions are not our own. There are people watching you, not intentionally but casually. They see what you think you do in private.
Be aware that you, as a leader, represent the organization while you’re in the office. More importantly, you represent the organization outside of the office.
Know that you’re under a microscope. People want to see how you behave when you think no one is watching.
It may not be fair. Yet it is the price we pay for our role.
Be on your best behavior. Do your best. People are watching, and it could affect your whole organization.
Remember… You represent the organization on and off the clock.
