That First Bite: Success No Matter The Cost – A Real Ethics Issue?

It seems that some things never change. As adults, we hear through the media, about the lack of ethics and the consequences of ethical lapses. They capture attention in almost every venue – from broadcast to internet to print. Whether we hear about Enron, HP, or Martha Stewart – one thing we know is that the choices we make can have a profound impact on the consequences we live.

Not only are adults aware of the ethical issues in our country, but youth are also bombarded with choices and ethical issues. Recently a “Teen Ethics Poll” was released by JA Worldwide™ (Junior Achievement) and Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Deloitte). The results, featured on the Junior Achievement web site (www.ja.org) and reported in an article in USA Today (www.usatoday.com) dated December 6, 2006, support the concept that unethical decisions start at an early age. “The notion that large numbers of students feel somewhat unprepared to make ethical decisions, coupled with the fact that they feel pressure to succeed at all costs, is a troubling combination,” said David Miller Ph.D., Executive Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and Assistant Professor (Adjunct) of Business Ethics.

Published survey results showed that 69% of teens admitted to lying, 34% to illegally downloading music, and 22% to cheating on tests. The most interesting statistic in the survey and perhaps the most telling is that 81% of the students who feel significant pressure to succeed believe that the pressure will either remain the same or increase as they enter the workforce. With statistics like this, it’s no wonder that ethical issues and ethics conferences abound.

In presentations I made over ten years ago to students in the same age group as the Junior Achievement study, the students reported extreme pressure to achieve and a willingness to compromise their integrity and ethical choices. Many said, in their own unique way, that they would take their chances on negative consequences from unethical choices. Their reality was - immediate gratification - outweighed the potential consequences of their choices.

Two of the students reported to me in the 1996 presentation series that look, stature, and the illusion of success was critical in the eyes of their peers. In fact, one stated that, “You do what ever it takes to get ahead. If I can get ahead now, then I’ll have a greater chance in the business world later.” When asked if that meant compromising his integrity, his response was “Success trumps all – What ever it takes.” How well we adults have taught our children!The challenge for our young people today is once you take that first bite, once you engage in unethical behavior, it’s hard to undo the consequences. It takes courage to admit to your unethical behavior. There are few models for moving beyond negative consequences. If we expect our future leaders of tomorrow to function in a more ethical manner than the current business leaders of today, then we must take the initiative to train decision making in an environment of integrity and ethics. Ethical behavior, like most behavior, is learned. If you refer back to the survey and the comments from the youth in my seminar, it is very clear that they are learning these perceptions of ethics everywhere. Young people are bombarded through the different media outlets. Television shows and movies constantly revere the one who gets ahead regardless of who he/she offends in the process. Everywhere they turn, they are observing people, real or fictional, moving to the top by choices they make. Unfortunately, they do not observe that there are negative consequences to those choices. What happens in the home? Some cheat on their taxes. Others behave in ways that demonstrate success is measured by looks, money. Many parents live on credit to impress the external world and then are unable to pay the debt. Yes, the youth are surrounded by many different messages regarding ethical choices.

Over the years, through many speaking engagements, I have found that young people thirst for reasons to do the right thing. Yet, society places a premium on success at all costs, which fosters an environment for inevitable ethical dilemmas. It’s time we take responsibility as adults to reverse the trends supported by this current study. The Choices Foundation provides a forum through which ethical behavior is taught to high school and college students during their formative years. Perhaps, if a young person is exposed to real life effects of unethical behavior, he or she will have a frame of reference as to the real negative consequences that can follow. For information on the Choices Foundation (a non-profit organization) and the presentations on ethics given by Chuck Gallagher, contact Chuck at chuck@chuckgallagher.com or visit www.chuckgallagher.com.