Koblentz Explores Corporate Ethics Through "Privileged Conversations" Video Series

In hopes of generating conversation with business leaders about business and corporate ethics as well as executive leadership Joel M. Koblentz created the “Privileged Conversations” series in partnership with the Center for Ethics. Koblentz is the Founding and Senior Partner of The Koblentz Group, a “firm specializing in senior level executive search, boards of director search, and the evaluation of key senior management.”

Waajid, Anderson, and Mackey preparing the set for Mangum interview

Koblentz initiated his series with an interview with the Center’s director, Dr. Paul Root Wolpe, and most recently invited Mylle Mangum to participate.  

Mangum, an accomplished individual in the corporate world, currently serves as the chief executive officer of IBT Enterprisers, LLC, the chairman and chief executive officer of IBT Holdings, and was appointed to the Express, Inc. Board of Directors in 2010. Some of Mangum’s other board memberships include her role as former Director of Reynold’s Metal Company, Inc., Director and member of Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee of Respironics Inc., as well as Director, Chairman of Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Committee, and member of Executive Committee of Haverty Furniture Companies Inc. Her many years of expertise and success in the marketing field designated Mangum as an ideal candidate to provide insight for the series.

Koblentz believed that partnering with the Center for Ethics on the series would be vital. “We believe that ethics is of essential importance to the way leaders should make decisions,” discussed Koblentz. “In many cases individuals who make these decisions find themselves in ethical dilemmas.”

In a way, this partnership allows Koblentz to utilize the intellectual capital of the Center and bring up ethical dilemmas with business leaders. Regardless of whatever influences may exist, the decisions leaders make must be consistent and in line with the expectations of the stakeholder. Though Koblentz has found very few business leaders that are unethical, complicated issues do arise that can cause some confusion. With that being the case, Koblentz found this to be one of the primary reasons to create “Privileged Conversations.”

“The first reason is that business is inherently complicated,” Koblentz explained. “And to hear the point of view of leaders is valuable.” Yet he also points out that extending oneself beyond the focus of a particular field can provide alternative points of view. This brought Koblentz to his second reason for the series: “Business leaders can learn quite a lot from leaders in other fields. We think taking a mélange of these points of view will help business leaders make better decisions from seeing an issue from a variety of views.”

Once Koblentz has completed the series, an archive of over half a dozen interviews with executive members of various fields will be available online. More information regarding  “Privileged Conversations” will be coming soon.