Can you articulate a personal code of ethics?

Our management consulting as sociations and firms have their ethical codes. Many of their members commit to them annually by quickly signing a statement agreeing to abide by their code’s provisions. I have done this myself, recognizing that this was the same code I had agreed to for several years running and so just appending my signature. There was no need to read it; if it was valid when I joined, it must be valid still.

Many companies complain that their internal consulting landscape is jagged and fragmented.They have no systematic way to deal with consultants and cannot identify the ones they have already worked with or learn what fees were charged for which benefits. Furthermore, consultants receive acclamation without any type of evaluation, which leads to the uncontrolled diffusion of consulting projects and consultants. Because of unmanaged commissioning, different consulting firms may work in one company on the same problems in a wasted opportunity to bundle consultants' services.

TEN YEARS AGO, Jerry, Clifford, and I talked strategies over a long lunch. Jerry was a solo consultant. Clifford had two other partners in his consulting firm, plus several dozen contract employees. Clifford and his first partner were both Ernst alumni, while their third partner came from Deloitte. Nobody had a better view of their businesses than me, since I sat on both their boards. Rather than tease you with suspense, may I divulge now that Jerry’s personal income in 2004 was $12 million?