Justice in the Workplace

This past week I was privileged to attend a luncheon meeting where Gary Haugen, founder of International Justice Mission (IJM), was the featured speaker. IJM is a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. They document and monitor conditions of abuse and oppression, educate the church and public about the abuses, and mobilize intervention on behalf of victims. IJM, which is federally and privately funded, has 13 offices in nine countries and currently employs more than 230 staff.

So what does a speech by a human rights advocate have to do with conscious leadership and this weekly journal? It was Haugen’s perspectives on injustice that caught my attention. He offered a compelling case through Scripture and stories from his organization’s work that injustice occurs when persons suffer abuse and oppression at the hands of other people. That prompted me to wonder how many times in the business world leaders act with injustice toward employees, customers, and the environment. Are we fair and impartial in our actions and decisions? Do we oppress the spirits of those we are supposed to serve by using the power of position to demand our own way? Might we abuse direct reports through our attitudes, language, and behavior?

Every human being longs for a sense of integrity and truthfulness in our interactions with others. But we know that power can corrupt; our world is filled with thousands of examples where horrific oppression and violence has been perpetrated on the most vulnerable in society. Think of the genocide in Rwanda during the spring of 1994. While I am not suggesting that injustices at work should be compared to killing fields, they do share a common thread – the abuse of power. It is a sobering thought to consider how my oppressive actions as a leader may affect those I work with or serve.

The temptations to abuse power are real and challenging. We live in a democracy but our organizations may not feel that way to those who work there. When was the last time you asked employees for feedback about product improvements or service enhancements and then actually listened to them and implemented their suggestions? Do you crave control over your company, department, or team at the expense of relationships and meeting the needs of others? Have you recently admitted a mistake or said, “I’m sorry” to a colleague or direct report? Do you know what your employees and customers want and need from you?

Justice may not be in your business vocabulary. Perhaps my attempt to connect injustice at work with global injustice isn’t even a plausible case to make. Yet injustices do exist in the marketplace and leaders are the ones with the greatest opportunities to model and practice a different way. It might begin with a personal confession that we crave power and are tempted to abuse it. We should review our organizational structure and processes to ensure they encourage and maintain fairness and honesty. Finally, we should listen more to our hearts; something I wrote about in last week’s blog entry. In the end, justice in the workplace and the world begins with living the platinum rule: Do unto others what they would have you do unto them. Sounds simple doesn’t it?