Southern California City Partners with BYU Management Society To Develop “Moral and Ethical Leadership”
Posted on January 22, 2008
Filed Under Act Professionally, Grow People, Live the Vision, Meet Purposefully
Tags: BYU management Society, Chamber Of Commerce, ethical, leadership, moral, Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society
Southern California City Partners with BYU Management Society
To Develop “Moral and Ethical Leadership”
By Bill Chapman
City Embraces Vision of “Moral and Ethical Leadership”
The City of Rancho Santa Margarita knows that unethical businesses will drive away good businesses and consumers. One of the City’s objectives is to create a “small town feeling with the heart of a village.” But this South Orange County town of 50,000 people has no expertise and no resources for training and promoting “moral and ethical leadership.” At the same time the City was grappling with this issue, a new chapter of the BYU Management Society was trying to figure out how it could pursue its vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership” as a community service, not as a BYU alumni group or LDS business group. Once she heard about the group’s enthusiastic vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership,” it did not take Kathy Graham, City Consultant, long to extend an offer to the Management Society to partner with the City in that effort.
The BYU Management Society’s Vision: “Growing Moral and Ethical Leadership around the World”
The BYU Management Society has as its vision “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world.” The Society was founded in 1977 by then-BYU Business School Dean Merrill Bateman to “promote professional advancement, high ethical standards, career development, and continuing education.” That original objective evolved into the current vision statement of “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world” at an Annual Leadership Conference of the Society in 2005. The Society has 56 chapters and about 6,000 members throughout the US and in 18 countries worldwide.
Getting to Know Your Neighbors
Although “affiliated” with the BYU Marriott School, the BYU Management Society is not an alumni organization nor is membership limited to any particular religious denomination. Nonetheless, because of its “affiliation” with the BYU Marriott School, Society membership has been prominently LDS. Breaking out of that mold to be more inclusive of all individuals who support “moral and ethical leadership,” without regard to school affiliation, business background or creed, has always been a goal of the Society.
Chapters of the BYU Management Society seek to serve local business communities by providing speakers, workshops and events that focus on “growing moral and ethical leadership” in those communities. However, this “community connection” has been elusive, at best. Some of those outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have described Latter-day Saints as “reserved, unapproachable, somewhat intolerant, clannish, closed and isolated.”[1] In contrast, Latter-day Saints have long been encouraged to be involved in their communities and be good neighbors. In his classic talk in October 2001 General Conference, “Doctrine of Inclusion,” Elder M. Russell Ballard gave three suggestions for being a more “inclusive” people, the first of which was to
[G]et to know your neighbors. Learn about their families, their work, their views. Get together with them, if they are willing, and do so without being pushy and without any ulterior motives. Friendship should never be offered as a means to an end; it can and should be an end unto itself.
The BYU Management Society believes that it is well-positioned to assist not only Latter-day Saints, but individuals of all faiths, to become better neighbors and develop a better sense of community.
What’s in a Name?
After a little discussion and debate, on December 13, 2007, the chapter in Rancho Santa Margarita decided to put less emphasis on its BYU affiliation and greater emphasis on its connection to the community. The name chosen by the chapter is “Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society, Affiliated with the BYU Marriott School.” The group also decided on a breakfast format as opposed to the more common lunch format because it was designed as a smaller, more community chapter. It was hoped that the breakfast format would allow those who commute out of town to participate before heading off to work.
“Lessons from Great Lives”
On January 16, 2008, the Chapter held its inaugural event, a breakfast featuring local resident, motivational speaker and author, Dan McCormick. His topic was taken from a recent book he co-authored, “Lessons from Great Lives” to a small but packed room of local, predominantly Latter-day Saint businesspeople. The book, and his speech, was a review of some of the highlights of great leaders in history. For the breakfast meeting, McCormick shared stories from the lives of Benjamin Franklin, Booker T. Washington and Sterling W. Sill and discussed how they exhibited “moral and ethical leadership.” (For more information about Dan McCormick and his book, click here.)
Inaugural Breakfast Meeting Draws a Crowd and the Media
The goal for attendance at this inaugural breakfast meeting was 30-35 people; about 65 attended. Two local newspapers covered the event and articles came out a in the online Local section of the Orange County Register (click here for a link to the article, with comments below the article) and the Coto News, both with very upbeat accounts of the meeting. The Coto News had already published one article announcing the group’s formation and upcoming breakfast meeting. It has proposed a monthly article featuring a local business that has exhibited “moral and ethical leadership.” Comments on blogs, social network sites and in emails regarding the group’s focus have been very positive. The Orange County Register has called back for a follow up story because of ongoing interest in the organization’s unique mission. Reporters have asked whether this group believes being moral and ethical is good for business, why there is such a strong response to the message of “moral and ethical leadership” and whether the initial enthusiasm can be sustained. Reporters have been referred to, among other things, the recent Christmas Day interview by Glenn Beck of Jon Huntsman on CNN Headline News and Mr. Huntsman’s book, “Winners Never Cheat.” (Click here for more information on the book.)
The City’s Desire to Teach “Moral and Ethical Leadership”
Nate Farnsworth, who is a Latter-day Saint and works for the City of Rancho Santa Margarita’s Planning Department and attended the breakfast on January 26, told his co-workers about the group and its vision. Kathryn Graham, City Consultant for Development Services for the City was very excited about a possible partnership between the City and the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society. In a meeting the day after the first breakfast, Ms. Graham stated that the City and Chamber of Commerce are concerned about unscrupulous businesses coming into the City and damaging the City’s reputation for honest and moral businesses. This would injure the City’s efforts to create the kind of small town “heart of a village” atmosphere that it is working so hard to foster. However, the City and Chamber did not have the resources to provide the kind of training and development to combat this problem. Ms. Graham asked whether the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society would be willing to take on the role of teaching and promoting “moral and ethical” values to local businesses via the Chamber of Commerce. The Management Society quickly agreed to fill that role.
Two Specific Events Already Planned
With only one breakfast event under its belt and one day after that event, Ms. Graham requested the new Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society’s help on two specific upcoming events. First, the City and Chamber of Commerce are hosting a first-ever, “Business Resource Fair” on January 30, 2008, with workshops on a variety of business topics (for a link to information on the event, click here). Ms. Graham asked the Society to provide a speaker to lead a workshop at the Business Fair on “growing moral and ethical leadership” in the local business community. Dan McCormick, the speaker at the recent breakfast meeting, has agreed to lead that workshop. Second, the South Orange Counties Regional Chambers of Commerce is hosting a “Networkers’ Breakfast” on April 29, 2008 and Ms. Graham asked for a keynote speaker at that event. The Society has agreed to provide a speaker for that event, who will be introduced by the Mayor of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita and again focus on “growing moral and ethical leadership” in the City of Rancho Santa Margarita and the local business community.
Next Steps for the Rancho Santa Margarita Chapter
Much remains to be done for this new chapter to reach its goal of “growing moral and ethical leadership” in the Rancho Santa Margarita business area. “Reporters” are needed to seek out stories of local businesses that exhibit the group’s vision and mission statement and write about those stories, as well as bringing representatives of those businesses in to receive awards or speak about their businesses. Individuals who support this cause are being recruited for committees to provide the kind of training and support for which the City is looking. This chapter views its purpose as not to create another business breakfast group, but to be part of a world-wide movement for “growing moral and ethical leadership.”
How to Join or Start a Chapter in Your Area
There are existing chapters of the BYU Management Society in many areas of the United States and the world. To repeat, one does not have to be an alumnus of BYU or a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to join! If a chapter does not exist in your area, it is easy to start one. Start small with your own local neighborhood and community. Simply contact Rixa Oman, Executive Director of the BYU Management Society at (801) 422-6824 or email: management_society@byu.edu. Or, you can find out more by going to the BYU Management Society website (Click here).
[1]Know Your Neighbor website (click here), Key City Training Meeting-Salt Lake City, Utah, October 2004.
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Bill,
The article is a well written, comprehensive recap of the event. It highlights well that the RSMMS is steping up to needs expressed by the City to foster moral and ethical leadership (pulling) instead of the usual “pushing” that occurs to get the message across. It will be valuable for readers to understand that there are many places across the world that want guidance, and we can provide terrific community service by volunteering, as you have, to provide training. Great article, great message, great timing!
Well done Bill. Submit as written in my opinion. What a great opportunity to have such a positive influence in a community.
Bill–
Really superior work. I would suggest only one minor amendment…third paragraph change “creed” to “school affiliation, business background or creed.”
Way to go!
Brian:
I like your suggestion and have made the change. Thanks for the input.
Good for people to know.