So many people seem to want money and fame. But not me. I’ve always said I would like to be rich (or at least affluent), but I’d pay good money to not be famous.
I’m sure everyone is at least aware of the story about Labour MP Mike Amesbury punching a constituent in the face.
Amesbury was initially sentenced to 10 weeks in prison after a run-in with Paul Fellows in Cheshire. After an appeal, the sentence was reduced to a suspended term. He’s now said he intends to “step aside at the earliest opportunity”.
When I first heard the story, and without knowing much about the context, I thought his vilification was a little unfair. After all, he is only a human being. I’m sure plenty of people get into a drunken brawl at the pub and never face any kind of repercussions.
But, on reflection, I have done a complete U-turn in my thinking. Firstly, punching someone in the face, or anywhere for that matter, is not OK in any context. I’m very much a ‘solve issues with your words’ kind of person. Secondly, it is an especially bad idea to do something stupid like that when you’re in the public eye. You’re supposed to set a good example.
OK, Amesbury isn’t exactly a “famous” person, but it is also true of celebrities. If you give up your anonymity in favour of fame and money, you have to live with the consequences.
The reality is, when people (including children and young people) idolise you, or if you’re in a position of power, you can’t afford to make the same mistakes as those who have some level of anonymity.
This is one of the reasons I would never want fame. Not because I plan to punch anyone in the face, but because I would hate to not be able to make mistakes without being condemned.
People in leadership positions at big companies are in a similar boat.
Not long ago, we covered the news that hedge fund manager and founder of Odey Asset Management Crispin Odey had been fined by the Financial Conduct Authority. The regulator also banned him from the UK financial services sector for a “lack of integrity”.
The Financial Times, in June 2023, wrote an expose about his years of alledged sexual harassment and assault.
I remember reading the article when it was first published, and it was a harrowing read.
“Thirteen women who have worked for Odey Asset Management or had social or professional dealings with its founder told the Financial Times that Odey abused or harassed them; eight alleged he sexually assaulted them,” it read.
Someone commented on our news story on LinkedIn asking what the bigger impacts could be of accountability in leadership. “Integrity shapes an entire industry’s trust,” they said, which is a good point.
When researching this Weekend Essay, I typed into Google: “How important is integrity in leadership?”
I came across an article on the website of a US college that said leaders who demonstrate integrity garner trust among their colleagues. This, in turn, leads to loyal customers, increased profits and a “better world for all”.
It sounds obvious, of course.
There’s a frequently quoted cliché that, if you want to make a change in a business, it has to “come from the top”. And this is most definitely true if you want to completely destroy a business too – it more often than not comes from the top.
In October last year, tarred by the actions of its parent company founder, Odey Wealth Management filed for voluntary liquidation.
It’s not just business owners who should be aware of how their actions reflect on the company, and the effect they can have on subordinates.
In my own experience as a journalist, my managers have had a huge impact on my motivation levels and love of my job. In my first role, I had some hugely inspiring editors who nurtured my love of feature writing and let me try out different roles within the business until I found one I thrived in.
In my second role, the editor completely decimated my confidence by tearing apart everything I wrote without giving me good reasons why, and I almost started to believe I was the world’s worst writer. It destroyed any motivation I had for the role. I left after a year, because they fired me in the first month of lockdown, but I would’ve left soon after that anyway.
In my third role, former Money Marketing editor Katey Pigden (who hired me for the role) helped me get my confidence back by giving me the freedom to write how I wanted to, while also giving me constructive and well-thought-out feedback. And here I still am, under current editor Tom Browne who, equally, manages me in a way that allows me to do what I love.
I’ve never had a manager who’s done something as terrible as harassment or abuse. But I have had a couple of weak managers who I knew I could walk all over, and this shattered my motivation almost as much as having everything I wrote torn to shreds.
Whether a manager, leader, politician or celebrity – anyone in a position of power or someone to whom others look up should be aware of how their actions can affect those of others. Or, indeed, how they reflect on the business or industry.
