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Bob Stone

Bob Stone

Contributor

Bob Stone is a GOVERNING contributor. He consults, teaches ethical leadership and leading change, and serves as a member of the governing council and faculty of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at California State University, Long Beach. He had a 30-year career as a civil servant, where he was credited with starting a quality revolution at the Pentagon, and then later (at the White House) led the campaign to reinvent the U.S. government. Stone wrote "Confessions of a Civil Servant: Lessons in Changing America's Government and Military" and "The Ethics Challenge: Strengthening Your Integrity in a Greedy World" (with Mick Ukleja).

Putting trust and responsibility in the hands of front-line workers means having a strong ethical grounding.
Sometimes being fair means special treatment, but that comes with risks.
There can be unpleasant consequences, but sometimes it's the only way to get something important done.
There is more than one way to look at appearances vs. reality when it comes to ethical behavior.
How to distinguish between a permissible white lie at work, and a hurtful one.
It's not enough to be ethical, writes Bob Stone. You have to teach it.
Impartial judgment is part of the deal for public servants. There's no room for bias. But, writes Bob Stone, many factors conspire to rob us of our chance at true impartiality.
All you have to remember is three things. Really, just three.
When it comes to ethics, we all know what we should do. So why don't we?
Speaking the truth isn't just a matter of personal integrity; it's crucial for organizational success.