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page 169 chapter V
accordingly – it in turn acquires greater goodwill that
can even develop into a seal of quality.
The principles are supported by all the company’s individual
employees. They represent them internally
and externally through their actions. In this way,
value-oriented management becomes a core element
of the corporate culture. Every bank employee must
be aware that the integrity of his employer is decisively
dependent on his personal conduct.
This may not mean that employees are “betrayed” by
their superiors if they get into a dilemma, but rather
that they are given the opportunity to safeguard
themselves beforehand. Needless to say, this must also
be accompanied by clear assignment of the newly created
accountability, which ultimately climaxes in top
management. It would be illusory to expect the employee
at the counter to exhibit totally conscientious
conduct if the gentlemen in the executive suites help
themselves without any inhibitions at all.
At the same time, it must be clear to every employee
that he must expect sanctions in the event of breaching
the corporate principles. For example, it is a common
misconception among those who take bribes
that they are doing their company a good turn. Only if
a bank defines clear rules in this respect, and rigorously
enforces them, can it underline its credibility. This
particularly applies to all management echelons,
which all too often form an elitist safety net that ensures
no one can fall through.