Many business owners more often than not see themselves as above the law, being unaccountable to no one, especially their staff, disregarding all company policies. However, co-founder of UT Bank, Prince Kofi Amoabeng asserts that such behaviour from entrepreneurs only leads to the collapse of businesses.
He explained most businesses have failed because of the lack of integrity amongst staff. Sharing tips on how one can spot integrity amongst staff, he posited, “I must say that going through interviews has become automatic as everyone knows the answers to interview questions, making it difficult to spot those with integrity.” Kofi Amoabeng indicated that integrity can still be developed amongst employees through the socialization process.
Sharing the UT story with Akosua Hanson on the YLeaderboard Series during Y107.9FM’s Myd Morning Show, he stated, “It is not easy to spot integrity during interviews but once you employ staff, you need to take them through the various departments of the company and infect them with the company’s culture.”
With the socialization process working perfectly in organically growing businesses, the businessman believes it is far more difficult to promote a workplace culture in a rapidly growing venture. Sharing insights into how to promote the culture of integrity in large companies, he pointed out, “it is not easy but it comes with policies. The business owner who is the number one staff needs to emulate character and respect the policies of their own companies. If they do so, it will be difficult for staff to disregard these policies.”
Explaining that if the business owner disregards these policies, the second in command also does same and this is replicated throughout the company. He emphasized, “As the business owner, be the number one to be compliant to policies. I you can’t do that then don’t introduce them.”
Kofi Amoabeng admits institutions in the country always interfere in the operationalization of businesses, and advised business owners to hold them at bay, still being compliant to policies. “You’re the number one staff and if you want integrity amongst staff, you first need to emulate integrity,” he reiterated.
