In this episode, Parag Shah of Nationwide sits down with Jen Knox Shanahan to break down what ethical leadership looks like in everyday practice, from making clear, values-aligned decisions to fostering trust and psychological safety across teams. He offers practical guidance on how leaders can stay grounded, navigate gray areas, and create workplaces where people feel respected, supported, and able to do their best work.
2 min read
Everyday Ethics in Leadership with Parag Shah at Nationwide
Parag Shah of Nationwide discusses what ethical leadership looks like in everyday practice, from making clear, values-aligned decisions to fostering trust and psychological safety across teams.
Host, Jen Knox Shanahan:
"...So, when we think about ethical leadership, how would you define that? And also, how would you say it's possible to integrate it into the culture in a corporate environment?"
Guest, Parag Shah:
"...however an organization decides to define ethics or ethical culture, I think ethical leadership is really about creating an environment where ethical behavior becomes the norm. So, I think it begs the question then, so how do you really then enact that, or how do you really get there?
And so, for me, I really think about it in layers, and the first layer would be it really starts with setting clear expectations, communicating those expectations, training against those expectations, and then ultimately enforcing those. So at Nationwide, I mentioned earlier, we have a code of conduct that really helps set those expectations for the organization...it doesn't have all the answers, but it certainly provides some guardrails around the do's and don'ts in terms of ethical behavior within the organization. We also require annual training for our associates as well. And then we have organizational procedures in place that allow for us to make sure that those ethical expectations are enforced.
And to me, really, when we think about integrating...I think it really requires a strong tone from the top. Not just your most senior leaders, but also your front line. I'll refer to them as front-line leaders. To me, ultimately, it's about the shadow that all the leaders cast within an organization. And so that requires a lot from them. And certainly, at Nationwide, it's no different, but any organization, that's where we think about accountability, transparency, fostering that culture of wanting to do the right thing.
But to me, ultimately, kind of this last layer...is when your front-line employees or associates view themselves as ethical leaders. And that may sound strange, but I view everyone within our organization as ethical leaders, even our front-line employees or associates. When they start to hold themselves accountable, when they start to hold their peers accountable, frankly, when they start to hold their leaders accountable as well. To me, that's when you have really full integration within an organization about the ethical culture."
Parag Shah is Nationwide’s Chief Ethics Officer and has overall responsibility for maintaining Nationwide’s high standards of ethics and business practices. This includes leading the Office of Ethics, with oversight of the company’s ethics program and internal investigations. Prior to becoming the Chief Ethics Officer, he held various legal, regulatory, transactional (including M&A), and corporate governance roles within Nationwide’s legal department with increasing scope and responsibility. Compliance & Ethics J.D., University of Illinois, 2000, B.S., The Ohio State University, 1997 (summa cum laude).
