Write and wrong: the cost of being ethical

In a dog-eat-dog world, where corruption is king and self-enrichment appears to be the chief goal at all levels of society, is there any practical use for integrity in South Africa? If those around and above you are prepared to swim with the unprincipled tide, what’s the point in trying to resist it?

There is every point, says businessman Brand Pretorius. If you don’t stand up for what’s right, who will? South Africa has never had greater need of ethical and principled leadership.

The situation has reached a point where “ethical behaviours are sometimes crucified”, he says. “In some sectors of the market, corruption has become endemic. My view is that more organisations are adopting an approach that one cannot be entirely ethical. It is disappointing that more business leaders are not prepared to pronounce on these matters.”

The former MD of Toyota South Africa Marketing and CEO of the McCarthy Group is speaking about his latest book, Inspirational Leadership: Best Practice from the Business World and the Word. Published in English and Afrikaans by Lux Verbi and co-authored by Dutch Reformed Church minister Jurie Schoeman, the book sets out to show how Christian values can help navigate the challenges of leadership.

More than ever before, say the authors, leaders today need faith-based support and guidance, which the Bible provides. So, in the book, Pretorius identifies leadership challenges (and solutions) gleaned from his 53 years in business, while Schoeman uses examples from the Old and New Testaments to illustrate how biblical characters confronted dilemmas of their own. King David, Noah, St Peter, Nehemiah, St Paul and Ezra, among many others, may not have faced exactly the same challenges as modern leaders, but, says Schoeman, there are clear parallels to be drawn.

However, he is at pains to point out that other religions can also offer the moral and ethical compass required to confront modern leadership challenges. Pretorius writes in the book: “In the vast majority of cases, there are common values across a broad spectrum of faiths.”

So what do leaders need to thrive — and help others do the same — in the moral minefield of the 21st century?

Young people with leadership ambitions should write down a personal code of conduct, listing the principles and values they stand for

Pretorius has always been a proponent of “servant leadership”, which prioritises the growth, wellbeing and fulfilment of employees. This, it is argued, encourages them to reach their full potential, boosts job satisfaction and loyalty, creates a positive work culture and contributes to sustainable, long-term success.

Servant leaders offer a clear vision for the future and inspire others to achieve it. There is no place, least of all today, says Pretorius, for tyrant leaders who rule by diktat and bullying — yet that is the style in many organisations. Such leaders are governed by the principle of self-promotion and an attitude of profit at any cost. In many cases, they set out with the best of ethical intentions but veer off course when business pressures mount.

Real leaders, says Pretorius, resist such pressures. They know what is right and are prepared to stand up for it. They are an example to those for whom they are responsible. “I’ve always believed leadership is not about charisma but about character,” he says. “It’s not about personality but about principles. Trust trumps everything. If you have no trust, you have no respect, and if you have no respect, you have no credibility.”

Difficult circumstances are no excuse for moral vacillation. Pretorius recalls how, at McCarthy, he abandoned a multimillion-rand motorcycle deal because the customer expected a bribe. “You can’t sacrifice your principles and then expect other people in the company to follow those principles. You can’t have two value systems in one company.”

Young people with leadership ambitions should write down a personal code of conduct, listing the principles and values they stand for. “Keep it with you and look at it whenever you have to make a difficult decision,” he says.

All this, of course, may require personal sacrifice. Pretorius admits: “Young South Africans I have spoken to have told me that if you want to accumulate wealth, you should not talk about things like ethics and principles.”

The breakdown of the legal system, which often results in no penalty for wrongdoing, entrenches this idea. So does South Africa’s high unemployment rate. During a recent seminar at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science, Pretorius suggested that young people whose moral direction is inextricably at odds with that of their employers should resign. That’s fine if there is another job to go to. For many young people, however, employment is their only means of survival in a hostile world.

The message behind the book, says Schoeman, is “Be true to yourself”. That’s sometimes easier said than done.