We can lead with authority or with responsibility.
When no one has authority, someone usually claims responsibility.
But when someone has been given authority, others often shy away from responsibility.
When a company creates an Ethics & Compliance department, it authorizes them to lead in that domain. And, just like that, the rest of the company doesn’t feel responsible for compliance.
And still, most people working in Ethics & Compliance will tell you that they don’t feel like they have much authority. Not to the level enjoyed by Legal or Finance or HR.
So the work for most E&C practitioners is to give company leaders a sense of responsibility.
The responsibility to lead ethically.
The Ethical Leader 
In my view, given the nature of organizational hierarchy, power structure, personal agendas and self interest, the most important freedom that leaders lack is simply the freedom to do what needs to be done . . . and the courage and sense of personal and corporate accountability to do it.
LikeLiked by 1 person