1. Is character an essential ingredient in ethical leadership? Is it especially important in managers? In leadership, especially among CEOs, is character important? Why?
2. Do you agree with the waiter rule? Does it provide useful insights into who might be an ethical or unethical leader? Should corporate boards consider character when hiring someone for the top position?
3. Is using the waiter rule too simplistic a guideline for hiring people in important positions such as CEO?

As the topic of corporate governance has been in the news more and more during the past several years, it is useful to reflect on what boards of directors have to do in terms of their roles and responsibilities. Acting on behalf of shareholders, one of the board’s most important jobs is selection of the CEO, who will provide strategic direction for the firm, and in turn, hire the top management team. But how does a board go about hiring a CEO? Certainly, this has got to be one of the toughest jobs of selection in the business world.