June 25, 2026
From our earliest days, the adults in our lives have reminded us to be honest and “do the right thing”. I’m sure we all hope that the young people in our families and community are learning the same lesson. For current or aspiring leaders, this hope should rise to the level of imperative; those of us in leadership roles have an obligation to provide clear guidance to our team members about the standards of ethical behavior. Leaders must model behavior that reflects the highest level of integrity.
Within an organization, there should be no mystery surrounding the acceptable rules of conduct. Expectations should be stated clearly in the employee handbook, on organizational materials—heck, even on the breakroom wall! If an organization’s Code of Conduct is important enough to its leadership, it should be impossible to avoid. To the same end, your team members should be well aware of the penalty for violating these rules. Leaders should talk about their organization’s ethical standards frequently and preach the message in group settings. The bottom line is: leaders should do all they can to ensure there is never a misunderstanding about proper conduct.
During my time at Tractor Supply Company, about fifty percent of my time involved travel to stores and distribution centers. In the evenings, our team would typically gather together for dinner and to review the day’s events. I always picked up the check; and, on several occasions, I noticed we had not been charged for a second beer or glass of wine. I made sure to point out these discrepancies to the waiter so the bill could be corrected. As a company, we strived to be fair and honest in our relationships—why should a dinner out be any different? In a small way, I was modeling the ethical behavior that was expected throughout the company.
On another occasion, our leadership team was made aware of a situation in which one of our employees received free services from a corporate supplier. We investigated and subsequently terminated the employee when the allegations proved true. This employee had the skills to enjoy a bright future at our company, but they could not meet the ethical expectations. Throughout my long career, I have found that it always pays to walk the high road.
Check the news outlets at any given point and you will likely encounter a story of poor ethical behavior in the workplace. The next time you hear such a story, remind yourself: it is your job to make sure none of these characters wind up in your organization! Set the bar for conduct high and repeat the message to your people early and often.
If you place integrity at the center of your organization, you will never regret it.
published Nashville Business Journal
