Is exaggeration just another synonym for lying?

That the question that drives the conversation when Jennifer H. Elder, CSP, CPA, JC Glick, and ☘️Mark O'Brien join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is our topic:

Speaking truth to power is one of the foundational principles of any society built on ethics and the rule of law.

Senator Mark Kelly claims that’s what he was doing when he joined five other lawmakers urging service members to refuse illegal orders from their superiors, alluding to military strikes against cartel drug runners. Writing for National Review, Andrew McCarthy argues convincingly that, while Senator Kelly is not guilty of sedition (of which he has been accused), his message was ill-advised and wrongheaded.

Without getting into the weeds of legal definitions, we might frame the issue as politicizing the military vs. weaponizing the justice system. Senator Kelly’s message threatens to disrupt military efficiency by undermining the chain of command, while charges of criminality seemingly overstate objections to the propriety of the message.

If we insist on exaggerating or otherwise misrepresenting both justification for our positions and claims against our ideological opponents, do we not make it impossible to honestly debate the issues and work toward reasoned resolutions? How have we ended up in a place where rhetoric is more valued than substance? And what can we do about it?

Meet the panel:

Jennifer Elder is a CPA and Certified Speaking Professional who helps leaders future-proof their businesses by making smart decisions and staying ethical.

JC Glick is a retired Army Ranger Lieutenant Colonel. He is a leadership, strategy, and culture advisor, as well as CEO of the Commit Foundation, an organization that helps high-performance veterans find their next adventure.

Mark O’Brien is founder and principal of O’Brien Communications Group, a B2B brand-management and marketing-communications firm — and host of The Anxious Voyage, a syndicated radio show about life’s trials and triumphs.

#ethics

#leadership

#integrity

#accountability

#culture

Does celebrity impose a higher standard of social responsibility?

That's the question that drives the conversation when Christopher Bauer, Diane Helbig, and Peter Winick join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is our topic:

In recent weeks, two stories from the wide world of sports have made the headlines.

In one, the FBI announced it had conducted a "massive, nationwide takedown" of two separate and illegal poker and sports-betting schemes with ties to Mafia families. The schemes reportedly spanned years and involved illicit gains from wire fraud, money laundering, extortion and gambling.

More recently, Boston College senior Shane Hanafin was the only player to stand as the band played the alma mater after the last game of the season. He then remained on the football field for an hour. Despite a disappointing 1-10 record for the year, Shane felt compelled to linger as a demonstration of his gratitude for the opportunity to play. Fans and social media viewers alike found the story touching and inspiring.

Star players make a fortune playing their games and endorsing products. Some of them leverage their sports careers to go into politics or acting. Young children of all ages look up to them as role models.

So here’s the question: Does their notoriety impose upon them an obligation to hold themselves to a high standard of personal integrity?

When they engage in scandalous behavior, are they more guilty than the average citizen? If we’ve come to expect little in moral discipline from our elected officials, is it reasonable for us to expect anything more from celebrity athletes?

Meet the panel:

Christopher Bauer is a Speaker, Author, and Consultant on Ethics, Compliance, and Accountability.

Diane Helbig is Chief Improvement Catalyzer at Helbig Enterprises, providing guidance and training to business owners and leaders around the world.

Peter Winick works with individuals and organizations to build and grow revenue streams through their thought leadership platforms and is host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast.

#ethics

#leadership

#integrity

#accountability

#culture

Can the greater good become an excuse for doing bad?

That's the question that drives the conversation when ☘️Mark O'Brien, S. Scott Mason, and • Kirsten Yurich join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is our topic.

Revenue from state lotteries goes to support a host of social causes, including education, environment, and veterans, among others. However, Fortune Magazine reported last year that:

“The average adult living in the poorest 1 percent of zip codes spends almost 5 percent (or $600 annually) of their income on lottery tickets, per the analysis. . . . Those living in the wealthiest 1 percent of zip codes spend only $150 on tickets, amounting to 0.15 percent of their paycheck.”

Writing for National Review, Ben Connolly argues that the lottery is essentially a tax on the poor, observing that:

“If you eliminated serial ticket buyers, and states only took money from people who bought a lottery ticket once a year on their birthday, state lotteries probably wouldn’t even cover their costs.”

He goes on to argue that:

“Gambling is a vice. It is not a social good. It is not an individual good. One of the roles of the conservative in society is to frown upon vices, to enforce social stigma against those activities that harm both the individual and society. Whether or not you believe that adults should be free to make their own choices about their money, including choosing to waste it on sports betting or lotteries, every conservative [and even libertarian] should agree that states shouldn’t be profiting from a vice.”

We recognize that drug addiction undermines the health of our society. Is gambling addiction different? Should gambling be outlawed, or at least controlled, like drugs? And if not, does it then matter if government profits from it?

Meet the panel:

Jennifer Elder is a CPA and Certified Speaking Professional who helps leaders future-proof their businesses by making smart decisions and staying ethical.

Scott Mason, aka the Myth Slayer, is a speaker, podcast host, and coach working with executives and entrepreneurs to Magnetize & Monetize Professional Freedom by Dislodging Toxic Myths to Ignite the Charisma Within.

Kirsten Yurich is an Organizational Performance Management Consultant, Peer Leaders Group Chair with Vistage Worldwide, Inc., and Adjunct Professor of Education at Felician University.

#ethics

#culture

#accountability

#leadership

#socialgood