I'm sure you've all seen some family-oriented TV show in which the teenager screws up big-time. When finally confronted by his parents, the teen is shocked that there will be no further punishment. "You've been punished enough," the understanding parent says.
WOMMA) to revoke Edelman's membership and send the firm into exile.
What, then, is reality?
Edelman has more than 2,200 employees in 46 offices worldwide, along with some 15 specialty practices. While I don't know the dynamics of the company, I have worked for two global human resources consulting firms (William M. Mercer, which is still around, and Alexander & Alexander Consulting Group, now part of Aon Consulting). In both instances the culture was determined more by the local office leadership than the corporate leadership. I worked in Los Angeles for Mercer, which was a miserable environment. When I visited the St. Louis office, I was shocked at how congenial and uplifting the atmosphere was. And to tell you the truth, I don't think I could have named the president of the company. Leadership was embodied-in Los Angeles, anyway-in a pension actuary named Dan White who ran the L.A. office.
Richard Edelman, the president of the firm, is, of course, accountable ultimately for his firm's egregious missteps. To his credit, he has openly accepted that accountability and Constantin Basturea, we speculated that WOMMA could end up being the story here instead of Edelman.
In any case, it's time for everyone to take a deep breath, remember how the real world functions, and bring some reason to this discussion. Screaming for heads to roll may make some feel better, but it doesn't help spread the gospel of ethical social communication. That takes time, dedication, and perserverence. I hope Richard Edelman is up to the task and that he puts Steve Rubel's expertise to good use in the effort.
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