Whales, elephants and gorillas

Think of the last company meeting you attended. Think of the moment (moments?) when someone asked a totally appropriate but naive question.

"Appropriate" because it sought to get at the reason for, the meaning of or the origins to a current and particular business problem. "Naive" because the answer it sought would shine a light on one or more of the "protective classes" that seem to root in companies where the ends (revenue, profit, bonuses) justify the means (too much stick, not enough carrot, a quick eye for the weakness in others and a blind eye for the same in yourself).

Think of them as the elephants in the room, the 800-pound gorillas or whales in the swimming pool.

Think of the pay package granted Dick Grasso by the board of the NASDAQ, think of the predatory market practices of Ken Lay's Enron, think of the $2 million birthday party Tyco paid for CEO Dennis Koslowski's wife or think of the "fashion forward" e.mail FEMA's Mike Brown was writing as New Orleans' levees were breached.

In each case, these business actions were not secret, yet drew no response. Then, when what was known internally became public, usually on the strength of a law suit, a leak or a lack of self-control, the force of external pressure had significant effect on employees, customers, citizens, investors, institutions and, ultimately, public confidence.

The story has played out so long and so often -- "Checkers," anyone -- that the painful course it takes now seems normal when, in fact, there is nothing normal about it.

We seems to be able to produce cadres of "boys (and girls) who cry 'wolf!'" but few who are willing to note the emperor has no clothes. Perhaps it is because there is no career advantage to that kind of behavior. How did that happen?

I can't say, really, but it was likely when the reward for going along got higher than the value of going your own way. It was compounded, no doubt, by continual reinforcement of the need to get ahead, stay ahead and never look back. The fear of falling back can be a powerful barrier to getting ahead. The punishment for breaking away from the pack can be worse.

It plays out in daily life, not just business life. A few years ago, New York City newsman and author Pete Hamill wrote in his autobiographical "A Drinking Life," that despite the talk in his Irish enclave that the goal was to get ahead, when he did, he was made to feel a he had taken the wrong course.

In more recent days, we have seen the rise of a movement (and a brisk business in tee-shirt sales) built around the rallying cry "Don't Snitch" -- equating a willingness to cooperate with the police to doing the wrong thing. Again, how did we get here?

One step at a time, really. Think about it the next time you see an elephant, a gorilla or a whale.