The Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business
Andrew C.M. Cooper
Wiley (August 2024)
“Your behavior defines you…for better or worse.” Anonymous
Why did Andrew C.M. Cooper write The Ethical Imperative? “I have two objectives for this book. First, to influence new generations to view business as a transformative force for positive change rather an immovable obstruction to progress. And second, to iunfluence business leaders to think conscientiously about a corporation’s role in local communities and our broader society.”
These are among the passages of greatest interest and value to me, also listed to suggest the nature and scope of Cooper’s coverage:
o Introduction: The Conflagration (Pages 1-5)
o The Power of Corporate Money (33-36)
o What Innovation Says About Your Speed (45-46)
o Lip Service Versus Real Alignment (59-62)
o Meet the Tough Standard (65-66)
o Rooted by Legacy (71-72)
o Recession-Proof Relationships 76-79)
o A Willingness to Change (79-80)
o New Contexts Challenging Old Paradigms (85-87)
o The Hierarchy of Inspirational Needs (92-93)
o Corporate Parallax (101-104)
o Secrets from the Breakfast Club (110-115)
o Open Systems Are Better, and, Grace to Bde Uncomfortably Open (118-120 and 120-121)
o The Leadership Power Curve (132-136)
o Move 1: Dynamic Omnidirectional Investment, “Nontraditional Archetypes” (139-145)
o Move 2: Human Capital Investment, “Understand the State of Play” (160-163)
o Move 3: Habitat Discordance, “Play the Long Game”(185-187)
o Move 4: The Maximation Default, “It’s not about style, it’s about you” (188-193)
o Move 5: A Reliable Brand, “What Seals Know About Resistance” (204-206)
o Organizational Improvement, and Communities and Virtuous Cycles (2011-212 and 212)
The Ethical Imperative provides an abundance of information, insights, and counsel that will help prepare leaders of almost any organization — whatever its size and nature may be — to establish, nourish, strengthen, and whenever necessary defend values that guide and inform, indeed enrich its workplace culture. That is their imperative…and privilege.
Consider Andrew C.M. Cooper’s concluding thoughts: “The path to a better future is happening — but it’s a much more difficult journey to traverse than the old corporate meta is capable of making. There will be difficult quarters and lots of investments between here and there. Some Wall Street analysts will dislike the capex in labor, taxes, and infrastructure. But hiding under the guise of power and wealth won’t go as far as it used to. And, eventually, balance will be restored to a market that will inspire new generations to fully embrace our free market system. We can choose this better future by choosing the right leaders. The question is, what part will you play? I hope you will join me in making the five moves that matter to move up the leadership power curve and commit to being a conscientious leader.
“It’s time to move up.”
* * *
Here are two suggestions while you are reading The Ethical Imperative: First, highlight key passages. Also, perhaps in a notebook kept near-at-hand (e.g. Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5), record your comments, questions, action steps (preferably with deadlines), page references, and lessons you have learned as well as your responses to head notes and key points posed within the narrative. Also record your responses to specific or major issues or questions addressed or suggested in the material, especially wrap-up comments at the conclusion of chapters.
These two simple tactics — highlighting and documenting — will facilitate, indeed expedite frequent reviews of key material later.