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David Martinez is a local accountant who has helped your agency from time to time with setting up agency accounting records and with developing procedures for things such as managing agency credit cards and internal cash controls. He always tells you to call him any time and never says anything about his getting paid. It is now time for the agency’s annual audit for which the agency normally pays several thousand dollars. You mention this in passing to David one morning at the Rotary breakfast. Later, David calls you, About that audit. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it as soon as I can work it in. I’m in a rush but let’s pin this down the first chance we get. You also have a personal friend whose accounting company did the audit last year and knows the audit is coming up soon.
You are told confidentially by one of your agency’s therapists an area
physician reportedly advised two clients with whom she works to stop coming to your agency. The physician referred them to another agency in the community and encouraged them to switch. According to your staff person, the clients said the physician had some not so nice things to say about your agency but the clients did not give any detail. You had also heard this same report from someone you were talking with at an open house at your child’s school.
Mrs. Thomas has been an active agency supporter for many years. She has been a strong
agency advocate with your primary authorizer, has helped with fund drives and other agency activities, and has recruited several of her
influential friends to support agency initiatives and causes. You call her to ask if she will help organize a clothing drive for the area’s disadvantaged children. She says, Not this time. I’ve been really busy. You’ll need to find someone else to help out. I don’t think I’ll be able to help out much anymore since I’ve gotten so busy with other things. You ask her if there is a problem you can help with but she declines to discuss it more. She is pleasant enough about it but somewhat abruptly ends the conversation.