Motivation Monday© ~ Power Corrupts

June 10, 2013 - PRLog -- There is a famous saying that, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

As a CEO of a company or a country, there is the potential to allow “power to go to your head.” If your power and decision-making have no limits, what prevents you or stops you from pushing the limits of what is acceptable?

In recent years, CEO pay has continued to go up, even during a recession.  There has been public resentment for that, which I understand.  Peter Drucker, the great business consultant and guru recommended that CEO pay be no greater than 20 times that of the lowest paid employee.  We have gone well beyond that. If a CEO is responsible for thousands of people making millions of dollars, then I don’t really have a problem with them being compensated for the success of their company and what they have created or help grow. Unfortunately, there was a trend during the recession that seems to be continuing, especially in the banking and financial services industries, that even though the company is failing and actually losing money, CEOs and senior management were still given bonuses and excessive compensation.

Although companies have Boards that are supposed to manage such things, it seems that many company boards still approve these ridiculous compensation packages, because they assume that the company will make money and share prices will go up.  Creating a win-win for CEOs and Board members or  Shareholders.

How does that translate in the Public Sector? CEOs of Countries, States, Counties and Towns or otherwise known as, Presidents, Governors, County Executives and Mayors may have their salaries held in check by their legislatures, but what about their power to spy on us as citizens.  Does any CEO have the right to spy on their citizens or employees?

It would be naïve to think that companies in the private sector as well as certain organizations within the government do not and have not “spied” on us or have tapped our phones in the past.  However, there are current circumstances that require all of us to take a closer look and figure out what is going.

Our President and current administration seem to have been pushing the line of what is acceptable, as far as “spying” and “data mining” our private communications.  The digital environment and the Internet have created amazing things, but it has also made George Orwell’s vision far more accurate.  “Big Brother” is watching and listening and whatever else they feel like.

Google , Apple, Instagram and a variety of Internet companies have been found to abuse their rights through their “Apps” and products.  What is the excuse?  Oh, we didn’t mean for it to be used like that.  Or, that was actually supposed to be turned off.  They acknowledge the issue and dismiss it like it’s all some small understanding, when in reality, they never explain what is being uploaded or downloaded every time a phone or App is being updated or a new version is being uploaded.

Is this “paranoid?”  Well, based on recent news stories, it appears not.

During President Obama’s first term, he was caught saying to the Russian Prime Minister, that he would have more freedom or ability to do things in his second term.  What did he mean by that exactly?  Now, yesterday, he met and walked with the Chinese President for 45 minutes without anyone else with them.  No Secret Service.  No advisors. Nobody, which is unprecedented.  We know that China has been found to be hacking web sites in America and stealing information.  What exactly would two Presidents of the largest economies in the world be talking about in private?

Why exactly has the government built a variety of massive data storage centers all around the country, in particular in the mountains of Utah to store massive amounts of digital files?  And how many phone companies are cooperating with them and allowing the government to access our phone calls, texts and emails?  At a time when every phone call can be stored as a .wav or .mp3 file and then converted into text.  At a time when every single citizen has a Social Security number, which can be stored as a file on a server and every single text, email and phone call you ever have can also be stored in that file, do you think we have the right to ask some questions?

What’s the answer?  Well, of course you already know the answer, that’s right, it’s for National Security!  The government is listening and data mining all of your communication to protect you.  How can anyone argue with that?

America.  You must “take action to make things happen.”  Apathy is not an answer or solution.  Your rights are being violated one at a time and the CEO cannot just say that he is doing it for your own good.  Just like a CEO of a company cannot listen to everyone’s discussions and say they are doing it for the safety of the employees or preventing people from stealing intellectual property or selling company secrets.

The technical age is creating new challenges and with it comes abuse.  The abuse of power is evident.  So what, what are you going to do about it, seems to be the response.  Unless the American public takes offense and takes action, this will continue and potentially get worse.  Every single American that has a smart phone is a walking GPS of data gathering, as well as personal data about you, your family and your where abouts.  

Motivation Mondays© are about “motivating and inspiring” you to think differently, be informed and “take action to make things happen”.”   Abuse of power is totally corrupting. What are you going to do about it?