People at work are more committed to their organization's success and derive greater satisfaction from their work when they are trusted and respected and know management cares about them and the quality of their lives. Creating trust, respect and caring in the workplace is an essential responsibility of leaders. No executive or manager can be effective unless she or he provides leadership for the "business" and for its people.

Yet most managers and executives, in both the private and public sectors, make little effort to do this. One example: A man, working in a job he liked and was doing well in, pointed out to his manager that his work and his level of responsibility were similar to those of the next higher level and he was interested in being promoted. His manager told him a promotion was not possible and over the next few weeks took some of his work away so his responsibilities were appropriate for his current level. His morale and commitment sank. Obviously, his manager thought it was better to demoralize a good employee than work on his promotion.

In even the "best-managed" companies, most employees feel their personal hopes, desires knowledge and experience are not important to "management." Employees feel decisions about their jobs and careers are made with little concern for the impact of those decisions on their success, health or abilities.

James March, professor emeritus in business, political science, sociology and education at Stanford University, said recently that "if you're trying to teach people how to think about management and leadership, what you're trying to do is to find a way to get them to think about the issues of life that carry over into management" (italics added). He also said that one cannot learn about leadership without addressing questions about "the nature of trust" and "the nature of love." In our opinion, it is a "crime" that many in leadership positions don't care about the damage they do to their people, even when it reduces their organization's effectiveness and capabilities.

Arthur F. Hull Jr. is president and executive director of the World Affairs Council of Greater Cincinnati, a former member of the Cincinnati School Board and a former executive with Cinergy. Stanley R. Hinckley Jr. is president of Hinckley & Associates Inc., a consulting and training firm on organizational effectiveness, and was manager of organization development at Procter & Gamble.

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