On Pearl Harbor Day, the American Numismatic Association dropped its announcement that the Board of Governors have begun their search for the organization’s next executive director. According to the press release, “the executive director must have extensive knowledge of nonprofit management skills with the ability to initiate, implement and successfully complete programs and objectives.”
When reading the full job description, I found the “Personal characteristics” section very interesting. It is the first time I have seen that as a section title, but these characteristics specifically spelled out. The first two (Adaptability and Behave Ethically) appear to be direct responses to the circumstances that lead to Larry Shepherd’s “dismissal.” Anyone who has attended a masters program and was required to take a course in organizational management can think back to the in class discussion of what it means to “behave ethically.” I remember that it was a lively discussion with no clear conclusion.
Regardless of what happened in the past, I hope this section does not put off potential, talented candidates.
If you are qualified and would like to be the executive director of the world’s largest numismatic organization, I encourage you to apply. Remember, the ANA is located in Colorado Springs, location of the Air Force Academy and about 90 miles south of Denver and east of Pikes Peak. I have not visited Colorado Springs (yet), but I hear it is a really nice area.
3 comments:
I'm going to crawl way out on a limb here and suggest that it won't surprise you that I don't believe ethics is at all subject to situational concerns. Ethical behavior is, simply put, if your mother knew, if the press knew, if a judge knew, EXACTLY what you were doing, would you still be okay? If it is, you're on sound ethical ground. Otherwise? Meh, maybe not s'much.
If I asked my mother, the press, or a judge if hiring my wife, girl friend, significant other, or whomever I has some sort of personal relationship with, I would asked if there was a rule against this type of nepotism. If there was no rule against nepotism, then there are no ethical issues.
Is it ethical to favor one employee over another for whatever reason? I can ask anyone and tell them that I think the employee is a good performer and deserve being singled out. Is that ethical?
Again, this is an issue that they teach us in Organizational Management 101 causes heartburn to anyone who runs a business or administers corporate policies.
No Scott, what you described is no LEGAL issue. What Larry Shepherd did was then, is now, and always will be an ethical lapse. It was at a minimum stupid and unethical, REGARDLESS of what any written policy did or did not say.
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