Do the right thing—even when it’s hard

[Editor’s Note: PR Daily has partnered with The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations to develop our newest column, Lessons in Leadership. This column will rotate among Plank Center Board of Advisor members, their emerging leaders network and board alumni, concentrating on moments of personal leadership and the lessons they impart.]

There was a time — decades for sure — when CEOs were heralded for making the “tough” calls, doing what was “good for business,” seemingly independent of the consequences beyond the almighty bottom line.  It was as if bravado was somehow relevant (it certainly played well in the media).  At times you could almost hear the “harrumph” coming from the board rooms.

Then along came Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, a leader who exhibited as much emotional intelligence as pure analytical prowess.

Mary’s mantra?  Do the right thing, even when it’s hard.

I remember my first meeting with Mary upon my return to GM in 2014 where we were in the early stages of the ignition switch crisis, where Mary explicitly laid out this call to action. Mary repeated this mantra numerous times as we worked through the famed ignition switch recall.  Every decision related to this crisis passed through the filter of: “Are we doing the right thing for those impacted by our failure?”