Will No I Rid Me Of This Priest?
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Henry II, facing a disagreement amongst Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Beckett inward 1164, is reported to require maintain shouted out inward frustration, “Will no 1 rid me of this troublesome priest?” Four knights heard what Henry had shouted as well as interpreted it to hateful that the manly mortal monarch wanted Beckett dead. They rode to Canterbury as well as did the deed.
This floor exemplifies the term myrmidon. From this source, nosotros larn the next definition: "A loyal follower; especially: a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously."
One of the dangers for a CEO is the style for your subordinates to accept what you lot tell as well as execute it to a flat you lot never intended.
Now, let's accept a quick facial expression at the VW story, courtesy of the New York Times:
Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen’s primary executive, took the phase iv years agone at the automaker’s novel establish inward Chattanooga, Tenn., as well as outlined a bold strategy. The company, he said, was inward the midst of a computer program to to a greater extent than than triple its sales inward the the U.S. of A. inward but a decade — setting it on a course of study to sweep yesteryear Toyota to move the world’s largest automaker.
“By 2018, nosotros desire to accept our grouping to the really summit of the global automobile industry,” he told the ii the U.S. of A. senators, the governor of Tennessee as well as the other dignitaries gathered for the opening of Volkswagen’s laid out American mill inward decades.
One agency Volkswagen aimed to accomplish its lofty destination was yesteryear betting on diesel-powered cars — instead of hybrid-electric vehicles similar the Toyota Prius — promising high mileage as well as depression emissions without sacrificing performance.
The conclusion yesteryear Mr. Winterkorn, the company’s hard-charging primary executive, to surpass Toyota seat enormous strain on his managers to deliver increase inward America.
Volkswagen officials straightaway nation that Mr. Wintrerkorn knew null of the regulatory cheating that his engineers had designed into the company's engines. Some are skeptical:
“For something of this magnitude, 1 would await that the CEO would know, as well as if he doesn’t know, as well as thus he’s willfully ignorant,” said Jeffrey A. Thinnes, a onetime Daimler executive who plant every bit a consultant for European companies on compliance as well as ethics issues.
We may never know. But what nosotros tin mail away hold upwards certain of is that the myrmidons at VW idea they were carrying out the intent of the CEO.