Don’t date at work, don’t be a jerk: In our viral age, CEOs should behave like royalty to avoid being fired

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Diane Brady is an award-winning business

Good morning. It’s great to be back after a short break. Catching up, I’ve been struck

CEOs have long been held accountable for their behavior through ethics clauses and board oversight. It’s not always easy to gauge how these standards may change. Enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, for example, was put on pause earlier this year and recalibrated, suggesting a more relaxed shift toward the practice of bribing foreign officials. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen resigned earlier this year because of  “certain personal conduct” that was not disclosed. Kohl’s, on the other hand, disclosed that it was firing CEO Ashley Buchanan 100 days into the job because of an “unusual vendor relationship.”

What’s are the lessons for leaders in all this?

Don’t date at work. Consensual or not, it’s a bad look and likely to get you fired. Your coworkers don’t like it. Nestlé CFO Anna Manz told a Barclays investor conference that employees used the company’s internal reporting system to complain about Freixe’s “improper” favoritism and alleged romance with the employee in question.

Don’t behave like a jerk in public. If caught on video grabbing a signed cap from a kid at a tennis match, don’t complain that the uproar is disproportionate and gloat that “life is first come, first served.” As for illicitly cuddling your coworker in public, search “Astronomer” and “Coldplay.”

It may cost more than your reputation. Remember the good old days when a board would kick you out the door with a parachute on your back? That may be over. Freixe left without a severance package. Former McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook got a nice exit when he was fired for a romantic relationship a few years ago and then had to pay it back when more came to light. Some people probably think you’re already paid too much.

We live in a viral age.

Contact CEO Daily via Diane Brady at diane.brady.com

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