The respect of privacy is important at TI, and this extends to the normal use of the TI computer network. However, TI Information Security may monitor message traffic in the case of system abuse. I am frequently asked the following question:What is TI's policy regarding the reading of another TIer's messages?
Many of the callers make particular reference to the reading of password protected information. Our position is this. Although all of our information systems at TI are company property and, therefore, offer us the legal right of access, we do so only under very restricted self-imposed conditions. It is done only for justifiable reasons.
The privacy of TIers' personal message traffic should be respected. It is unacceptable for someone to access another TIer's messages unless that TIer has granted permission to do so. Respect for the privacy of this information goes right to the core of our relationships with one another. It reinforces personal trust and respect.
There are, however, circumstances under which we will access message systems without the knowledge or approval of the user. Examples would include such system abuses as
Under these types of practices, TI Information Security will get involved. Their investigations may involve the monitoring of message traffic in an effort to identify the offenders.It is important for anyone who is tempted to abuse the system to understand that this is an issue that TI takes very seriously.
In today's economy, there is pressure to get the job done faster with fewer resources. In this environment managers or supervisors can create ethical problems for TI employees. One of the toughest and most important responsibilities of the TI manager or supervisor is to continually challenge and motivate employees to perform at their best. The tools most often used to meet those responsibilities appropriately include the setting of high expectations, tight schedules and aggressive job goals along with the demand for continuous improvement. They are essential to our success. But in setting goals and deadlines, TI managers and supervisors must know how much is enough. They must guard against setting totally unrealistic targets that may tempt the employee into unethical behavior.
On one hand the manager/supervisor may press to get the job done, to get it out the door, to get end-of-the-month billings on the books. Traditionally, annual performance reviews, promotions and longevity are tied directly to meeting those goals. On the other hand, that manager/supervisor must expect the employee to do TI's business the right way, the ethical way. Behavior deemed as unethical can more than negate the rewards of high performance. In many cases, the TIer faces a tremendous problem. Good and decent people are feeling the squeeze.
Barbara Ley Toffler writes in a recent New York Times article, For many employees, being ethical is getting to be too risky -- something they can't afford any more. With rampant layoffs and no improvement in sight, it's too dangerous to say no. She goes on to say, ...now that job hunting has become the occupation of so many who until recently had good jobs and promising careers, only the morally courageous -- or the foolhardy -- risk telling the boss no.
So what is the solution to this problem? It falls squarely on the shoulders of the TI manager. First of all, the manager must work to create candor in the workplace, creating a safe atmosphere where the employee feels secure in bringing up the tough issues, where there is trust between the TIer and the manager, where there is no fear of retribution. Then the manager must ensure that the employees have the resources, training, skill and knowledge to get the job done. Finally, the employees must feel that they are empowered to have some effect on the work process and be deeply involved in the goal setting.
The pressure, the problem and the solution hold true for manager/employee relationships throughout the corporation, regardless of the manager's level. The pressure is necessary in our very competitive businesses worldwide to ensure that we succeed. However, when managers adopt this solution, the pressure for unethical business practice is significantly reduced, while trust and teamwork are greatly enhanced. And TIers are better equipped to cope with the pressure.
Several months ago in one of our T NEWS Ethics Articles, we asked TIers to submit their examples of the silent saboteurs, those subtle and subversive games that people play that damage our work relationships, our productivity, job satisfaction and trust in our fellow TIers.
Here are more examples.
The cost of these activities is high...in the areas of motivation and morale, productivity, pride, and customer satisfaction, all of those areas that we want to emphasize in a highly ethical company.
When a manager informally asks an employee to consider an action or take a look at an option, the true meaning is often obscure. Is it a request or a directive? Ethical pressures can be created. Two recent dissimilar comments from TIers have highlighted the same issue regarding what a manager really means when he or she asks an employee to "consider" an action or "take a look" at an option?
"One of my main jobs in procurement is the selection of our program's suppliers. I am satisfied with my current suppliers, some strategic and some not, and I am always evaluating them and looking for better ones. But what do I do when my program manager's boss wants me to take a look at another supplier, apparently one of his favorites that he has used a lot in the past? Do I give them any special considerations? I feel that he really wants me to send some business their way.
"I have an opening for a secretary and have initially selected the best fully qualified applicant through the JOB system. My problem is that now one of the upper TI managers is asking me to consider someone who is being declared surplus and really does not fully meet my requirements. Although this manager says that the choice is mine, I can feel that he really wants me to hire this person. I don't know what to do."
As we make our decisions in the business of TI, we know that they should be guided by what is best for TI business, what gives us the lowest total cost, what is fair, and what is best for the long term. Yet it is only human nature to want to satisfy our bosses. We face conflicting goals, and this conflict adds to the pressure to do what is ethically right. Sometimes there is no clear answer. On one hand our management expects us to pursue the lowest total cost. Nevertheless, they may make other recommendations that we feel obligated to follow.
There are several issues here, the first and most important being that we all need to work toward creating an atmosphere of candor in our workplace. Although we all have a role in this effort, it is really the responsibility of the managers and supervisors. They must establish an environment where employees are free to bring up concerns and issues such as these. They must encourage employees to ask questions and raise issues, to use the open door when appropriate and to communicate clearly and carefully, and then walk the talk.
We all tend to work toward meeting the expectations of the job. Managers must be sensitive to this fact and recognize that employees put great importance on what they believe or perceive management wants. And the higher the level of management, the greater the level of importance placed on those perceptions. It's only human nature. To varying degrees, we all tend to respond in that way. And perceptions will be reacted to as if they were real.
Managers must be very careful of the messages they send, either through suggestions and recommendations, through leadership style, through body language, and even through innuendoes and choice of words. The best approach is one of candor and forthrightness, where the employee gets the right message the first time, where the pressure of figuring out what the boss really wants does not create these problems.
In the two examples above, the TIers have only one choice. Each must return to that manager, carefully explain the problem and ask for clarification. But the problem could have and should have never occurred. Good leadership and candor in the workplace can prevent many ethical pressures, issues and concerns. Get involved.
Followership, like leadership, is essential for progress. Listed here are some of the responsibilities of followers in support of their leaders. Much has been written in this column about the ethical responsibilities and obligations of a leader, about the leader's characteristics and style, about the workplace that leader creates. The booklet "Cornerstone Five" is dedicated to this subject.
Lawrence M. Miller in his book "American Spirit, Visions of a New Corporate Culture" made the following statement: Leadership requires followership and following is an act of trust, faith in the course of the leader, and that faith can be generated only if leaders act with integrity.
Leadership can be practiced and demonstrated at any level within TI and within society. Yet not everyone in every situation is going to be the leader. There must also be those being led. So let's look at ethics from a different direction. Let's view it from the follower's perspective.
What are the ethics of followership?
There are benefits and risks involved when TI computer equipment is used for playing computer games. Guidelines must be established by the team or by local management.
There are some issues on which we continually get questions here in the Ethics Office. The use of the TI computer for playing games is one of those. Consider these comments from TIers: Our department started the year end close process, which requires an enormous amount of individual and team work, as well as overtime, to meet the required deadlines. It is very irritating not to be able to complete a task where team effort is required, and one part of the team cannot pull their weight due to time spent playing games. This habit restricts team and individual productivity and in my opinion should be considered a form of theft.
In our department, there are times at quarter close that we have to work late and we are given comp time to offset any of that extra time. I do not think a person who is playing computer games during much of the day and is working late should be allowed comp time. I have always been under the belief that as long as I'm at TI, TI is paying me to do something productive for the company.
There are several issues to be considered here, but the most important is the problem stated clearly in these messages from TIers . . . the relationship between us and our fellow employees. Relations become strained when one feels that others are not doing their share or that they are cheating the team or the company. And the proper relationship among co-workers is what makes this a good place to work, is what keeps us as individuals and as a company competitive and productive, and is simply a large part of what makes us enjoy what we do at TI. When game-playing causes other TIers to grumble, then that is a clear signal that there is a problem that must be addressed by the team or by the management.
Many of the TI computer users are converting to the Windows environment with its built-in games. Users are properly encouraged to play the games to gain familiarity with the mouse. The question then becomes how much is enough.
There are two other issues well covered in previous T NEWS Ethics articles, but worth mentioning briefly. TI computer equipment cannot be used for gambling purposes. Also, if a TIer has a game on the computer that is not freeware, then that TIer must also possess the proper software or it must be covered by proper licensing. Otherwise, it should be removed immediately.
So what is the TI policy on playing games on TI equipment? In general, if the software is properly licensed and the games do not involve gambling, usage is controlled at the lowest possible level, either by the team or by local management. Guidelines should be established and communicated to the work groups. There are benefits to game playing, but the damage to the relationships are issues that must be faced locally and guidelines must be communicated.
Good leadership requires good followership, and every one of us, regardless of our jobs at TI, has followership responsibilities. What are those responsibilities? Several months ago, the first in this series of articles on the ethics of followership listed some of the responsibilities of followers in support of their leaders. I asked you for other examples of followers' responsibilities, and the following list reflects your response.
Malicious rumors and gossip attack the spirit of the individual and attempt to divide us into groups. There is no place for them in the ethical workplace at TI. One activity that we all participate in, most, hopefully, to a lesser extent than others, is the spreading of rumors. It is only natural for us to communicate with our co-workers. I cannot imagine a worse workplace scenario than one where we were not allowed to or chose not to talk with our co-workers. And our perceptions of reality, the truth as we see it, is always a natural topic. But how far do we go when it comes to spreading the truths that we hear from co-workers? How much effort do we put into ensuring the accuracy of the stories we pass along? And do we tend to embellish them or exaggerate them in a hurtful manner toward other?
As one TIer asked in a message to the Ethics Office: How do I deal with an individual who habitually spreads malicious rumors about co-workers? These rumors are very hurtful and distract from work responsibilities. Co-workers fear sounding petty if they complain to the supervisor.
When this question was presented in this column several weeks ago, many responded with a very proactive answer...and this is good.
Here are a few of your answers:
And others suggested involving group or team members to stop the rumor spreading
Here are some guidelines to follow that will help stop the rumor mill
Malicious rumors and gossip attack the spirit of the individual and attempt to divide us into groups. The ethical workplace that we strive to build at TI is based on trust, honesty, candor, and teamwork and has no place for the malicious games that people play.
Each time we create a winner, we might also be creating a loser. In many situations, this creates unintentional and unproductive damage to our relationships. In many situations of life, our objective is to emerge as the winner. But the bittersweet consequence is that each time we create a winner, we may also create a loser. We intentionally divide groups into winners and losers. Take the World Cup Soccer competition, for example. In a very lengthy and competitive process, the loser group grows larger while the winner group finally decreases to only one team, the champions.
While this process is very appropriate for so much that goes on in our lives, it might be destructive to many of our business relationships. In a more global view, it may work against our long term business goals to seek the absolute win if one of our business partners, perhaps a customer or a supplier, must be the loser.
In our individual business relationships with our co-workers or team members, the same principle is true. Each time we create a winner, we may be creating losers. Perhaps it is appropriate in some circumstances, but we must continue to show respect for and protect the dignity of all team members and business associates. Failure to do so can result in damaged relationships that will inhibit our ability to work together in the future.
The loss of face is more critical in some cultures than in others. But it always carries a negative impact. It might show itself in one's attendance or productivity. It might appear in how that person interacts with the team. It may be a silent cancer that eats away at the relationship where the employee chooses to resign or the customer or supplier simply chooses to take their business elsewhere.
The key words are reflected in our TI Commitment, which states, We will create an environment where people are valued as individuals and treated with respect and dignity, fairness and equality. If we truly subscribe to this, we will instinctively work toward that solution where all stakeholders are considered and treated fairly, where everyone involved can walk away somewhat a winner, their dignity intact, and ready and able to pursue enhanced business relationships.
Common advice to aid the search for a win/win solution
Displays of favoritism, or even its perception, can destroy relationships, initiative and trust. We must always be alert to its presence and suppress it. We recently received the following message in the Ethics office: Is it proper for a supervisor to become close friends with his employee? I suspect favoritism. My supervisor appears to be playing favorites. There are a couple of employees that he eats lunch with everyday. These employees seem to get more information about what is going on. I get the feeling that because they have become close with the supervisor, less is required of them.
It is important that each of us has a relationship with our supervisor or manager that is built on trust, candor, and fairness. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Some supervisors have compromised their authority and the respect they could command by allowing favoritism -- real or perceived.
It is natural for a supervisor or manager to trust, respect, and depend upon one employee more than another -- a result of experience, common interests, goals or backgrounds, or simply the longevity of their successful relationship. However, each of us, regardless of our position within TI, is expected to work to create an environment where people are valued as individuals and treated with respect and dignity, fairness and equality. That leaves no room for displays of favoritism.
I am reminded of a story that a TIer told me of an experience he had while in military service years earlier. His combat unit worked hard and played harder. And their commander was at every event -- every party, every baseball game. Any time his unit socialized, "the old man" was there, but he was always the first one to leave. He did enjoy the camaraderie, but he understood his position of being boss. He knew that he was different, that he was not "one of the boys," even if he had preferred to be. It was to his benefit (and to his unit's) to be close, but not too close. He needed to be approachable and trusted, but he also needed to remain at a distance. After all, he was the one responsible for duty assignments, recognition, promotion, and reward, and for the discipline.
Favoritism is insidious. It creeps into the workplace and shows itself when we least expect it. It destroys relationships and trusts. It feeds on our initiative. It lives in the shadows and is often perceived by some and not others, even when it is not real. We must always be alert to its presence and suppress it.
Consider the pain of being in a job where you think the boss doesn't like you. What can you do? One of the saddest calls we receive in the Ethics Office is from that TIer who feels that permanent damage has been done to their relationship with the supervisor or manager. Sometimes it takes the form of a failure to receive an expected or promised promotion or raise. Sometimes it centers around not being treated fairly. Maybe it deals with perceived favoritism. It can take on many forms, but the central message and perception is that the boss just doesn't like the TIer. And the individual feels trapped, not being able to move up or even having someone to talk with about it.
Consider the pressure that this TIer must feel. How could this individual feel valued? How could this TIer feel respect and respected? How could personal and professional and professional goals ever be reached? Enthusiasm and spirit die along with candor and trust.
When this TIer calls on us for help, we try to communicate these recommendations and message
It is imperative to get these feelings out and deal with them. If you don't, they will tend to fester and grow. Talk with your co-workers, your management, HR, or the TI Ethics Office. But remember, you are a key to the solution. Nobody is closer to the situation and has more to win or to lose.