DECEMBER 22, 2009

Stay Out of the (Tiger) Woods

Tiger Woods was just named Athlete of the Decade. But, in the midst of a scandal (especially one involving many affairs), being the best isn't enough to reclaim his glory or his lost sponsorships. So how do your personal values impact the value of your company's brand?

"We all know no one is perfect. But Woods presented himself as this clean-cut, all-American role model. People had higher expectations of him than most celebrities," explains Gay Warren Gaddis, CEO of T-3 (The Think Tank), the nation's largest independent advertising agency wholly-owned by a woman. "What appalls people is that it's turned out to be a lifestyle, not one indiscretion. That changed his persona." Simply put – he wasn't living the values he promoted.

So what's the lesson for business owners and high-profile corporate leaders? "What you say doesn't matter," says Gaddis.  "If people see that you're consistently unfair or dishonest – in business or life – they won't trust you."

Branding people as figureheads for a business is risky, says Entrepreneur.com, as it "makes the company as a whole accountable for" their personal reputations. Here's how to keep your nose clean – and your employees.

What about ethics in the workplace? Studies show employees in offices with ethical lapses are more distracted. Those in companies with ethics programs observe less misconduct and are more satisfied at work. ValuesBasedLeadershipJournal.com and ManagementHelp.org offer ethical leadership guidelines – including how to create a code of ethics.

Want more? Check out Business Ethics: Decision-Making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility.

Bonus PINK Link: Why are corporate values more important now than ever before?