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Eliska Haskova Coolidge on Ethics

Local customs, traditions and mores differ from place to place and this must be recognized. But honesty is not subject to criticism in any culture. Shades of dishonesty simply invite demoralizing and reprehensible judgments. A well-founded reputation for scrupulous dealing is itself a priceless corporate asset (Ethics Policy, Standard of Business Conduct). For that reason, ExxonMobil has chosen to support for the past 4 years - ASET (Adopt a School for Ethics and Trust) an organization whose main goal is to instill an ethical behavior in the younger generation. Mrs. Eliska Haskova Coolidge is a promoter of this organization and she kindly agreed to be interviewed on this topic.

Mrs. Haskova Coolidge, you have led a fascinating life, White House was your work place for many years – you have interacted with US Presidents, ministers, diplomats, business executives, bankers, lawyers. How much of your successful career would you attribute to ethics?

All of it, all of it - without any question! I would never have been asked to stay at the White House for 18 years were it not for my strong ethical and moral upbringing. It is all about good judgment and constant self- reflection. When I worked at the White House our code of ethics was on 4 pages. We did not need lawyers explaining to us how to behave. It was understood from the top to down. Every President, Republican or Democrat set the standard of conduct that was followed by all of
us. Any gift to us –or to him– , especially from a foreign country, went to the GSA (General Services Administration) to be sold at auction for the poor. Every President I worked for found a certain measure of comfort and security in knowing that I was discreet, had good judgment and always kept my word. He knew that with me his signature and reputation were
in safe hands. Ethics played a big role in my not having to look for a job.

I didn’t even realize it then, but now as I look back on my government years it is clear to me that when people see that you are open, honest, fair and strong in character, they feel comfortable and they know they can trust you. It is all about trust. Ethics alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by a strong dose of courage to stand up for what you believe, even in hard times, even if it is not popular.

If a person inappropriately accepts or takes even a little bit of temporary financial security, he or she gives up some of the precious freedom that is our priceless legacy. In the end, he or she deserves neither the security nor the freedom. I say this as someone who had a lot and who had nothing several times in my life. If you work hard and you work with passion and consideration for others the reward will come. Each one of us has an inner voice, a compass that leads us to the best decision. We must constantly remind ourselves to listen to it. Where we come from, what family we were born into or what hardships we have overcome have nothing to do with the ultimate success of our lives. That depends entirely on us – on our attitude in facing each new challenge that life brings. We do not own our success. We must renew it every day. We only rent it. At the end of each day, it is good to ask ourselves ,,How can I make tomorrow better?”, ,,How can I have done this differently?”, ,,How could I have said it more effectively?”.

“In just about every area of society, there`s nothing more important than ethics”, said Henry Paulson, an American banker who served as the 74th Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. What is your own definition of ethics?

Ethics is the inner voice in all of us. We all have it. We do not need to be religiously devout to have ethics, although religion certainly helps to inspire and maintain it. There is an inner voice in all of us which says ,,do this” or ,,no, you’d
better not”. It is the voice we must learn to listen to. Many of us are too busy and life is so hectic and demanding that we ignore this inner voice. Ethics is about empathy, sensitivity to the impact of our words and deeds.

Upon your return to the Czech Republic you became heavily involved in the public sphere, you are dedicating your time and energy to various projects – you are a Member of the Board of Etická výchova o.p.s. (The Foundation for Ethical Education,) and the initiator of the project ASET (Adopt a School for Ethics in our children and Trust in our Society). Why is this organization so important for you?

I strongly believe that character is formed by the time a child reaches the age of ten. We need to start with the youngest generation to Eliska Haskova Coolidge on Ethics By Ioana Sucala (BSC Programs Team) build values in our society. We need to teach young people that only by acknowledging their mistakes they can learn from them. This takes not only ethics but courage. We need to show them by example how important it is to speak the truth, to keep promises, to say ,,thank you”, ,,I am sorry”, ,,forgive me”. Those are all things that make society better because they connect the individual with the whole. As Maya Angelou wrote ,,People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you make them feel”.

ASET is a program designed to help teachers communicate the value of ethical education and share it with other teachers and parents. It is the successful cooperation between teachers, parents, children and the school management. Ethics cannot just be a subject. It should be a part of every subject. We should breath it in the classrooms, on the playground
and in all our activities. ASET is all about empathy. It is about understanding others. It is about raising children who will become hard working considerate members of society. It is about being equipped to build bridges not barriers, teamwork not materialistic egoism.

ASET is a project that directs social responsibility to its roots, to the youngest members of society. By adopting schools for ethical education, private companies build leadership qualities and teamwork in the generation that will eventually determine the quality of life in our society. I am grateful for the strong support ExxonMobil has given to this project. You are certainly an inspiration for others in the private sector, you are an example of the private sector at work for the public good.

What is the best career advice you have received?

From my father I have learned to do everything in moderation, to be a conciliator, to see the good in everyone. To be balanced, optimistic and to do everything with passion. I believe young people can find balance by asking themselves ,,who am I?” and ,,who do I want to be?”. As they set out on their life’s journey, they should know that the love and empathy they have in their hearts and the education they put in their heads are two things that no one can ever take away. We must spend our entire lives learning.