July 29, 2010
Ask Fr. Spitzer
How Do You Deal With Pressure From Above to Act Unethically?
 |
| Business ethicist Barabra Toffler |
Q: I came across a quote from Barbara Toffler, a former partner at Arthur Anderson, who said that “Culture shapes behavior. There are plenty of decent people who go astray because they’re in a culture that creates an environment in which they can’t get their jobs done unless they engage in unethical activities.” What are you supposed to do when many people around you are acting unethically, and you’re under pressure from your boss to cross the line yourself?
A: My advice is simple: Don’t do it! That’s Rule No. 1. Don’t even come close to the edge, because if you do cross that line you’re being pressured to cross, no one will defend you later. Ultimately, it’s your own decision to act ethically or unethically, and if you make the wrong decision, your supervisor will not defend you and a lawyer will not take the blame for you. So remember – you’re the one in the target zone once you decide to submit to the pressure.
The second thing to do is to seek creative ways to mitigate the pressure. You can talk about it to individuals whom you trust. In many large companies, there are ethics officers now. If there’s one where you work, you should go and talk to that person. There are various HR remedies you can seek. There are all kinds of things you can do that might allow you to keep your ethics and keep your job.
But if none of that works, the third thing to remember is that you have to live with yourself. Being true to yourself is the most important thing you can do, so why endure the misery of being in a company where there is constant pressure to compromise your values? Start looking for a new job today. Find another company that’s better for you.
That can be difficult in the short term because jobs aren’t as easy to get these days. But it’s easily the best thing you can do in the long run. Bear in mind that companies which pressure their people to make money by doing the wrong thing frequently do implode. They have very bleak long-term outlooks, because you can’t get away with unethical behavior forever. There’s an old rule in accounting that once you start the embezzling, you have to keep doing it. It’s like the Ponzi scheme. And when you walk away from a company like that before it implodes, you look back later and think, “Boy, was I smart to get out when I did!”
Return to the Home
Last changed: Sep 24 2009 at 11:05 AM