Ethical Leadership - The experience of JCU's 3rd IBD cohort

Cuyahoga County Council Members still don’t get it

            The Plain Dealer’s 12/5 report of six newly elected County Council Members meeting in private to dole out council leadership positions amongst themselves shows that these individuals have not learned the lessons of the 2010 Election.  Cuyahoga County officials’ lack of ethical behavior has already eroded citizens’ confidence in government’s ability to lead our communities.  In response to this culture of corruption, citizens elected leaders to a new form of county government.  Now a new set of officials are ignoring the public’s justifiable distrust in local government and continuing the same pattern of secrecy and backroom deals that toppled their predecessors. 

            The newly elected county executive, Ed Fitzgerald, has initiated an “integrity” audit” of county government and is looking to create a County Office of Inspector General to identify unethical behavior in the future.  These actions are a good start and perhaps Fitzgerald’s initiatives will rub off on the Council.  Until elected officials focus on what is right and not just what they can legally get away with, they will not be able to provide the leadership needed to guide this county towards a brighter future.                  

Regards,

John Carroll University MBA Program

Integrated Business Decision Track Cohort 3