Look the Other Way or Face Down the Corruption? : Part 2

The Book of Hard Choices: How to Make the Right Decisions at Work and Keep Your Self-Respect
by James A. Autry, Peter Roy

(Page 2 of 3)

At about the same time that David was reaching out to the community, a wealthy construction company owner, Ralph Dietrick, decided to run for the county board of supervisors. He invested a lot of his money in the campaign to unseat a longtime supervisor and was elected. He quickly moved to establish his power by donating money to other supervisors' campaigns and helping them get elected, the result of which was that Dietrick could always produce three votes, a majority, of the supervisors on any issue.

"He became famous," David says, "for asking, 'Do you know how to count to three?'"

During this time, David was not sure he would be able to remain with the company. But he did not want to give up on his goal of getting the community support that would convince the planning commission to approve the projects without having to appeal to a corrupt supervisor and his cronies.

He almost lost his job when he accompanied his boss to a meeting with Dietrick, a meeting that in David's view was not necessary.

"I was working on a project," David recalls, "where there was a property line that went straight through some hilltops, and really it didn't make any sense. It was an artificial line. We needed a road to the top of a hill, but putting the road on one side or the other of the property line would mean destroying the hilltops and doing tremendous grading damage. So I had worked out an agreement with the neighbor that we would trade some land back and forth because it really wasn't buildable land anyway. This way we could snake the road through and not do environmental damage. The deal was a bit complicated and I was proud of having pulled it off."

But David's boss, the general manager, was not happy. "You can't do that," he said. When David asked why, the boss said, "That son of a bitch [the neighbor] screwed me ten years ago and I'm not doing anything that might help him."

David was stunned. "But we can't do the road the other way," he said. "It will cost a lot of extra money and besides, it's wrong."

The boss made him change the road.

"I thought about quitting then and there," David says, "but it wasn't the most important thing in a very big project and while it aggravated me, I thought the overall project was more important than that one issue."

David dutifully took the project to the planning commission, and of course it was not approved because of the road. Then came the appeal to the board of supervisors. David's boss insisted that David accompany him to a private meeting with Dietrick, who by that time had become chairman of the board of supervisors.

"My boss wanted me to go because he needed me to explain the issue because he didn't fully understand it. All he knew is that he didn't want his old enemy to get the road worked out.

"Well, I bristled against it but I went to the meeting, where I sat silently somewhat like a petulant child. It was clear to everyone that I didn't want to be there."

This was to be the first time David got to witness the corruption firsthand. When his boss, Don, began to explain the situation, he stopped and said that David would explain it.

"So I told them the truth," David says. "I told them that the plan was justifiably appealed because the road should not go where Don wants it to go."

His boss shouted at David, "That's not the issue,"" then turning to Dietrick, said, "I want that road there and that's it. I don't want to help this guy."

Then Dietrick turned to one of his aides and a lobbyist who was in the room and asked, "Has Don bought a table to my dinner party?"

Don said proudly, "Yes, I did."

"Understand that this was a $1,200 table," David says, "which is probably equivalent to $10,000 in today's dollars. So I just kept my mouth shut."

Then Dietrick looked at Don and at the lobbyist and said, "Boys, this looks like a two-table problem to me."

At this point, David got up and left the meeting without saying anything. In the car with Don, he asked, "How could you do that? I did what you wanted me to do."

"Yes," said Don, "and you didn't do it right."

David responded, "No, Don, you're wrong. I did do it right and damned if I was going to sit there while you negotiated the number of tables you were going to buy to get his vote. Excuse me, his three votes."

Copyright © 2006 by James A. Autry.

About the Author

James A. Autry was the president of the magazine group for Meredith Corp., responsible for such publications as Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies Home Journal. He is the author of six books, including the top selling Love and Profit: The Art of Caring Leadership. He is currently a business consultant with top corporations and has an active speaking schedule. He lives in Des Moines with his wife Sally Perderson (who is lieutenant governor of Iowa) and his son.

Peter Roy is the former president of Whole Foods Market, which Fortune magazine first named one of the "Top Companies to Work For" during his tenure. He is currently a director of Avalon Natural Products, Traditional Medicinals and the Naked Juice Company as well as a trustee of the National Outdoor Leadership School. He lives on Pawle's Island, South Carolina.