Doing the Right Thing:
There is a fairly well-known phrase that frequently pops up in business settings, and it goes like this: “To get along, you go along.” Alas, all too often this phrase is uttered by some to advise others not to protest or otherwise act contrary to the way certain things are done, even if the way is unethical. To be sure, the phrase is meant to intimidate, and it probably succeeds more than it should.
But why does the phrase succeed at all? The answer is because many people simply do not possess the strength of character to stand firm against the phrase’s ominous warning. Indeed, doing the right thing should be easy, especially since most of us have at least an intuitive sense of right and wrong. Nevertheless, for all sorts of faulty reasons and/or excuses, human beings repeatedly cave in to the pressures of not doing the right thing, even though the long-term consequences of unethical actions are often devastating.
Still, the picture does not have to be so bleak. Through the training of the will, and by associating with good and honorable people, any person can develop the virtues necessary so that doing the right thing in business will become second nature. And when doing the right thing is practiced at every level, everyone working for the business will flourish as honorable human beings.
Objectives:
• Describe the impact of always doing the right thing.
• Explain how doing the right thing at work contributes to long-term excellence.
• Describe the importance of cultivating and developing personal virtues.
• Explain why the only kind of organization worth working for is one that acts ethically at all times.
Exercises:
1. Is doing the right thing at work always the best policy to follow in all circumstances? Why or why not? Provide an example that helps illustrate your position.
Professional Development:
1. If a supervisor insists that you either perform an unethical practice (The supervisor states, “That’s the way it’s always been done here and nobody gets hurt.”) or lose your job, what will you likely do and why?
2. Set forth and explain in detail five virtues that are essential to performing any job ethically and well.
Issues to Consider:
1. “I just do my job ethically and well. I don’t care what goes on in any other department of the company. If some people in other departments are not acting ethically, so what.” What’s your view of this statement?
Is it a legitimate position to take for any worker? Why or why not? Should workers be concerned about the ethical behavior of their coworkers? Why or why not?
Module Summary:
For the most part, doing the right thing at work means doing a job ethically and well at all times. However, circumstances can arise that challenge very conscientious people to continue to follow this basic maxim for sound ethical behavior. Indeed, pressures to perform in a certain way that violate basic ethical principles can come from a variety of sources (peers, supervisors, customers, etc.), so to ensure that one always does the right thing, personal virtues centered on developing and maintaining a strong character must be cultivated and practiced on a daily basis, involving small matters as well as greater ones. In other words, doing the right thing at all times must become an ingrained habit. And even such personal development is still not enough. Doing the right thing also means selecting a place of employment populated by other workers who also hold similar views and conduct themselves accordingly. It may also mean dissociating oneself from an organization where some members fail to live up to high ethical standards. Perhaps it will not be easy at times, but to live well and truly enjoy one’s life at work, always doing the right thing is the only way to go for the person of integrity and excellence.