Feel the Temptation to Stretch the Truth? 3 Ethical Guardrails to Keep You in the Right
By Lee Ellis (Sign up and watch Lee’s Coaching Video related to this article.)
You’ve just been presented with an opportunity to slightly bend the truth, withhold some key information, or potentially worse. “Not a problem for me, I’m an ethical person,” you say. Yet, we see this problem happening every day to people at every level in every profession—lawyers, doctors, pilots, sheriffs, teachers, students, CEOs, and church leaders.
Like guardrails, ethical standards serve as boundaries to keep us from doing harm to ourselves and others. We cross those lines at our own peril, knowing that sooner or later there will be consequences. Let’s look at Article 4 of the Honor Code –
“Be Ethical: Operate within the laws of the land, the guidelines of your profession and the policies of your employer.”
Three Ethical Headlines
Last year I was checking into a hotel when the headlines of the free local paper caught my eye: “Lawyer Admits to Bribing Judge.” I picked up a copy of the paper and later in my room sat down to read it. The first section was mainly a recitation of one illegal act after another—sixteen in the first section. Now I know that the press loves to catch our eye with this kind of negative stuff, but it was no doubt true and disappointing. It was powerful support for my presentation the next day of Leading with Honor®.
More recently, in a nearby small town north of Atlanta, 35 of 70 students taking an AP History class were caught up in a cheating scandal. Most of the students admitted they knew better and a few claimed that they were only collaborating as their previous teacher had allowed (you may recall a similar story at Harvard University in one of my previous blogs).
The same week that I read about this recent cheating incident, the New York Times headlines announced that four of the world’s largest banks—Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland — pleaded guilty to a series of federal crimes over a scheme to manipulate the value of the world’s currencies.
Our Ethical Motives
Being ethical may sound easy, but the evidence shows that regardless of intellect or position, almost everyone is vulnerable. I’m convinced that none of these people just woke up one day and said, “Today I’m going to do something illegal or unethical.”
Most of us are pretty committed to following the standards and the law—except maybe for speed limits, parking tickets, and a few other traffic offenses. Generally, it’s because we understand and accept the standard, and even when we don’t agree, the consequences of getting caught can be a good deterrent to doing something unethical.
But when our human nature hot buttons of pride, independence, fear and greed get pushed, we can rationalize and step over the line. What can keep us from doing that?
Three Steps to Solid Ethical Character
Like so many other areas of leading and living with honor, it’s about being intentional, being self-aware, and then acting on what you know is right. These three steps can help us guard our character and be ethical in daily life –
Be intentional. Be deliberate or purposeful in carrying out your “good intentions.” Is your concern only about your reputation—what others think of you—or is it also about your character and the person you are committed to be? Intentionality allows you to draw on your good motives and gives you the energy and drive to discipline yourself and choose to follow through.
Be self-aware. Self-awareness provides the critical management information that you need to make good choices. Awareness of ethical standards and boundaries as well as your emotions will be important data for making good choices. Situational awareness (not to be confused with situational ethics) is also important. Quite often situational awareness reminds you of the problems and consequences of violating ethical standards.
Do what you know is right. Draw from your proud heritage as well as the vision of who you want to be to gain the courage for standing firm in your commitments to maintain your character and integrity.
Former White House Counsel Jeb McGruder, convicted in the Watergate scandal, explained this problem well, saying,
“Somewhere between my ambition and my ideals, I lost my ethical compass. I found myself on a path that had not been intended for me by my parents or my principles or by my own ethical instincts.”
Are you guarding your integrity? What are your guardrails? How do you avoid losing your moral compass? Please share your experience and how you manage this crucial area of life and leadership.
LE
P.S. Want to see my monthly leading with Honor video coaching on this topic? It’s free—simply sign up to receive it in your inbox.
Related Articles:
– Honor Code Article 1 – Four Lies that All Leaders Are Tempted to Use, and How to Tell the Truth
– Honor Code Article 2 – Treating Others with Dignity and Respect Even When It’s Difficult: Four Leadership Traps to Avoid
– Honor Code Article 3 – 7 Leadership Steps That You Need to Know on Keeping Your Promises
Sources:
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/21/business/dealbook/5-big-banks-to-pay-billions-and-plead-guilty-in-currency-and-interest-rate-cases.html?_r=0
[1] An American Life: One Man’s Road to Watergate, Jeb S. Marauder
