When leaders choose reputation over accountability, they often lose both
What every institution should learn from the Columbia University scandal A recent article about Columbia University and former OB-GYN Robert Hadden stopped me in my tracks. Not because institutional scandals are unusual. They are not. What struck me was how familiar the pattern felt. I have seen many organizations face allegations of misconduct, ethical failures, regulatory concerns and complaints from the people they serve. Sometimes the allegations prove true. Sometimes the
Catherine Cameron
Sep 33 min read
Trust Requires Transparency: The Importance of Boundaries in Professional Relationships
Trust is the foundation of every professional relationship. When we seek the expertise of a regulated professional, we are placing confidence in more than their technical skills. We are trusting that their judgment will be exercised independently, ethically, and in our best interests. Whether the relationship is between a patient and physician, a client and lawyer, a student and educator, or a pet owner and veterinarian, there is an underlying expectation: professional respon
Catherine Cameron
Aug 223 min read
When a Complaint Is More Serious Than It Looks
Most organizations don't struggle with a lack of information. They struggle with information that conflicts with what they want to believe. This becomes particularly difficult when the information concerns someone respected within the organization, someone with a strong professional reputation or someone who has been trusted for years. Organizations and the people within them can become so invested in what they believe about a person that they start evaluating the evidence ag
Catherine Cameron
Aug 193 min read
Protecting Trust Before Crisis Happens: The Leadership Responsibility to Prevent Harm
Trust is not built when everything is going well. Trust is built in the moments when things become difficult. Throughout my career as a communications leader working with healthcare and social service organizations, I have seen that reputation is not created through statements, policies, or carefully crafted messaging alone. Reputation is built through behaviour. It is revealed by how organizations respond when challenges arise. Every organization will face difficult moments.
Catherine Cameron
Aug 55 min read
When Trust Becomes Vulnerability: Why Professional Boundaries Matter In Every Profession
I have spent more than 30 years helping healthcare and social service organizations build trust, protect reputation, and communicate through complex challenges. Throughout my career, one truth has remained constant: Trust is the foundation of every professional relationship. Patients trust their healthcare providers. Clients trust their counsellors and care teams. Students trust their teachers and educators. Families trust the organizations that support them. Pet owners trust
Catherine Cameron
Aug 54 min read