Everyday in the news we see the paparazzi taking pictures of such as Paris Hilton, Madonna, Donald Trump and Martha Stewart. If we are not hearing about the real people, there are always the television series we loving grew up with which set sites in our mind for what is the definition of success.

Everyday in the news we see the paparazzi taking pictures of such as Paris Hilton, Madonna, Donald Trump and Martha Stewart. If we are not hearing about the real people, there are always the television series we loving grew up with which set sites in our mind for what is the definition of success.

Mainly the formula appears to be

Success = Power + Money

Here are some of our characters who preclude what is happening in today’s society and preclude many of the characteristics of today’s business people who end up in the news. These characters have the big homes, vacation homes and bottles of champagne in their bedroom every night. They drive the BMWs that many want to drive and live in total luxury.

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Wilhelmina Slater in the series Ugly Betty is Co-Editor-in-Chief or Mode Magazine. How did she get there? She made a play for William Slater-Meade so she could get control of Mode Magazine. But when Meade dies before she has a chance to get what she wants, she pays someone off to have herself impregnated with his child so she can have controlling interest in the company.

J. R. Ewing of the television series Dallas, which ran from 1970 to 1991. He did whatever he had to do to be on top. If he wasn’t blackmailing someone, he was backstabbing someone in the back to make Ewing Oil the most profitable company in the oil industry.

Charles Montgomery “Monty” Burns in the series, The Simpsons, who is the owner of Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. He is abusive to his employees, and finds ways to make extra money from his customers which often can be considered underhanded, and always seems to get away with it.

Lex Luthor from the Superman comics and many television series including Smallville and Lois and Clark. Here is a man who has numerous agendas and will tell you what he is worth by the hour. He will sleep with someone to seal a business deal.

Blair Waldorf of the series Gossip Girl. She is the Queen Bee of her school and she knows it. She is often being watched and reported on by Gossip Girl. If she feels threatened by any one in school for her place in power she is not above planting evidence to make someone appear guilty to get whatever she wants. Her social standing means everything to her.

I have been writing many articles on role models. Highlighting the characteristics they hold which make them good people to follow despite their mistakes. Some of my role models include: Chuck Bartowski, Ling Woo, Ally McBeal, Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery, and Jean Luc Picard among others.

The Enron Scandal in which Kenneth Lay assured people that there were no accounting issues or problems up until the fall of Enron and the words of corruption came out. When you see articles like “Suit Claims J.P. Morgan Aided Madoff’s Fraud” by Diana B. Henriques (A version of this article appeared in print on April 25, 2009, on page B1 of the New York edition.)  of the New York Times one begins to wonder if these executives aren’t following in the footsteps of characters such as J. R. Ewing.

Since the 1950s corporations present themselves using techniques such as Total Quality Management (TQM)* in their framework to work to bring in the most profit. This particular function we learned from the Japanese who have a stronger economy than the United States.

The eight elements of TQM are:

  1. Ethics
  2. Integrity
  3. Trust
  4. Training
  5. Teamwork
  6. Leadership
  7. Recognition
  8. Communication

Ethics, Integrity and Trust are the foundation of TQM.

Considering the state of our economy and the layoffs at many businesses, and what is happening in the financial market as well as other corporations. With all that may or may not be happening with Corporate America is it a wonder that many of corporations are not making the profits because many of the employees are more interested in looking out for themselves then in the interests of their company. What business model are they using to qualify salaries and bonuses at many of these companies? And what are the true elements these companies are using in the hiring of their employees?

* Padhi, Nayantara: The Eight Elements Of TQM ©2000-2009 iSixSigma. All rights reserved. v3.0lb, 2.0-A-244