Virginia — Is there an elected official in the Commonwealth who does not have bizarre yearbook issues, sexual assault allegations, and/or incredibly poor responses to either? From 35 years ago to 15 years ago, the indiscretions and misconduct of the past have percolated to the surface. The process of redemption is possible, but does require a step back for reflection. That no one in the top four slots in government is willing to take that step tells us that no one there is quite ready for forgiveness.
Saudi Arabia – Crown Prince Mohammed has said that he had no involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. However, an intercepted and recorded conversation of the Prince in 2017 finds him saying that he would use “a bullet” on Mr. Khashoggi if he did not return to the kingdom and stop criticizing Saudi government. True enough, a bullet was not the choice of weapon, but Mr. Khashoggi met a grisly death at the hands of a squad of folks close to the Prince who were dispatched to an embassy far, far away. The very same embassy into which Mr. Khashoggi walked but never emerged, at least not living.
Entrepreneurial spirit has kicked in now. Principal Communications, a major Hollywood player when it comes to representing stars and handling media relations, had created a new company, Foresight Solutions, which will work with Edgeworth Security, a firm with former U.S. government sleuths, to offer preemptive services — they will find the skeletons and yearbooks in your closets before someone else does. That way, the Oscar folks can research their potential hosts and screen out those with problematic Tweets, Facebook posts, or yearbooks. Foresight says that it will comply with all privacy laws because, “Ethics and standards have to be major guideposts.”
Between social media, intelligence, memories, and yearbooks, young people today have two important lessons: Truth percolates and what you do and say, even as a young ‘un, or in private conversations counts and can and will be used against you. There is one sidebar lesson — those yearbooks have been beasts for everyone from Supreme Court nominees to governors to comedians called upon to host the Oscars.. No images yet from Prince Mohammed’s yearbooks.Although, the Barometer believes that one gets the Princeship regardless of flawed behavior in the past.Indeed, even flawed behavior in office is not a deal breaker, which brings us back to Virginia. A governor who changed his denial and nearly did a moonwalk to illustrate his confessed black-faced conduct is still in office. So are his direct reports.
About mmjdiary
Professor Marianne Jennings is an emeritus professor of legal and ethical studies from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, retiring in 2011 after 35 years of teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in ethics and the legal environment of business. During her tenure at ASU, she served as director of the Joan and David Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics from 1995-1999. In 2006, she was appointed faculty director for the W.P. Carey Executive MBA Program. She has done consulting work for businesses and professional groups including AICPA, Boeing, Dial Corporation, Edward Jones, Mattel, Motorola, CFA Institute, Southern California Edison, the Institute of Internal Auditors, AIMR, DuPont, AES, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Motorola, Hy-Vee Foods, IBM, Bell Helicopter, Amgen, Raytheon, and VIAD.
The sixth edition of her textbook, Case Studies in Business Ethics, was published in February 2011. The ninth edition of her textbook, Business: lts Legal, Ethical and Global Environment was published in January 2011. The 23rd edition of her book, Business Law: Principles and Cases, will be published in January 2013. The tenth edition of her book, Real Estate Law, will also be published in January 2013. Her book, A Business Tale: A Story of Ethics, Choices, Success, and a Very Large Rabbit, a fable about business ethics, was chosen by Library Journal in 2004 as its business book of the year. A Business Tale was also a finalist for two other literary awards for 2004. In 2000 her book on corporate governance was published by the New York Times MBA Pocket Series. Her book on long-term success, Building a Business Through Good Times and Bad: Lessons from Fifteen Companies, Each With a Century of Dividends, was published in October 2002 and has been used by Booz, Allen, Hamilton for its work on business longevity. Her latest book, The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse was published by St. Martin’s Press in July 2006 and has been a finalist for two book awards.
Her weekly columns are syndicated around the country, and her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Reader's Digest. A collection of her essays, Nobody Fixes Real Carrot Sticks Anymore, first published in 1994 is still being published. She has been a commentator on business issues on All Things Considered for National Public Radio.
She has served on four boards of directors, including Arizona Public Service (1987-2000), Zealous Capital Corporation, and the Center for Children with Chronic Illness and Disability at the University of Minnesota. She was appointed to the board of advisors for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators in 2004 and served on the board of trustees for Think Arizona, a public policy think tank. She has appeared on CNBC, CBS This Morning, the Today Show, and CBS Evening News.
In 2010 she was named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Business Ethics by Trust Across America. Her books have been translated into four different languages. She received the British Emerald award for authoring one of their top 50 articles in management publications, chosen from over 15,000 articles.
Personal: Married since 1976 to Terry H. Jennings, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Deputy County Attorney; five children: Sarah, Sam, and John, and the late Claire and Hannah Jennings.
