“Tone at the top” is a phrase familiar to corporate executives. Its origin is traceable to the field of accounting, where the CXOs, the Board of Directors and leadership are expected to set the tone of honesty, integrity, zero tolerance for fraud and corruption. The leadership is trained to preach, visibly practice and constantly communicate “The Tone” and behave in a manner that becomes the culture of the company.
Such communications are very rare, particularly in political and bureaucratic circles and leadership. In fact, even to use words like corruption is such an anathema, across the board, that people use euphemisms like speed money, leakages, expedition service and so on.
PM on eradicating corruption and nepotism
For the first time at a national level, on a very important day (15 August 2022), India’s Prime Minister talked about how corruption and nepotism are the enemies of growth, equality and freedom. While this is not the first time the Prime Minister has spoken about the ills of corruption and the need to eliminate it fast, this clearly is the time that it has been so forceful and taken notice by almost everyone. What you read here would have, in content, appeared in many other places, including as bold headlines; such is the power of the Tone at the Top.
Can we now expect every leader, every minister, every responsible officer to set this strong tone at the top, so that we create an ethical climate and culture that will make us all proud of our nation, rather than cringe every time global rankings are published, that defines the character of countries?
Visionary’s vision
Prof C K Prahalad, in his seminal work with the CII on India@75, envisioned two decades ago what we as a country should be in very simple words: on completing 75 years of its independence, India should be known for its economic resilience, technological vitality and moral leadership. While we can be proud of our progress towards the first two goals, we have a long way to go as far as the third vision is concerned.
The tone at the top is a very positive way of engaging and energising the citizens, who would muster enough courage to question malpractices, without fear and with their heads held high. As it is often repeated, “All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to be bystanders.” And if the leadership at the head is not committed to moral leadership, then we will become the proverbial fish that rots from the head down.
