The present business environment has changed drastically where any actions can be justifiable if it reaps a higher reward, be it financial (e.g., higher increments, commission) or non-financial (promotion, social status). Such actions are becoming the ‘accepted norm’ even if the means taken to achieve those ends were compromising to good governance and more importantly [...]

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The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka

Ethical road to success: Is it worth travelling?

By Sonia Chinnaiyah
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The present business environment has changed drastically where any actions can be justifiable if it reaps a higher reward, be it financial (e.g., higher increments, commission) or non-financial (promotion, social status). Such actions are becoming the ‘accepted norm’ even if the means taken to achieve those ends were compromising to good governance and more importantly to one’s personal moral compass.

Some unethical practices are disclosed and have had been penalized (e.g., Enron) but, majority of the unethical cases are pushed under the carpet through various lucrative means.

‘Cooked ledger, look-the-other-way- auditors, kickbacks, flimflams of every sort have burrowed their way in today’s corporate climate. Less-than-honest financial reports are tempting when the market penalizes flat performances and candid accounting. Wall Street consistently signals that it is comfortable with the lucrative lie’ – Jon Huntsman, ‘Winners Never Cheat’, 2005.

According to the recent Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) 2012 global survey on business ethics, despite an increase in the usage of well-worded ethical codes, training, and stringent regulatory pressure, there is greater pressure within organisations to act unethically and this trend can be widely seen in emerging economies. Further, the report illustrated that bribery has risen from sixth to third in the rankings of issues of concern, and the current events reported in the news are evidence of the fact.

The paper also highlighted that management accountants are most likely to be under pressure to compromise ethical standards when working in commercial business organizations. Further, when compared to the results of the similar survey conducted in year 2008, the ‘tone from top’ in upholding ethics has diminished and this will significantly influence the overall ethical culture of an organization.

Thus, one of the important suggestions from the report is an urgent ‘wake-up call’ for all respective governance bodies to construct a framework and intensify anti-bribery and corruption legislation, in order to ensure that this situation is rectified immediately.

However, in addition to taking macro steps by the respective governing bodies, we also need to be concerned about the micro issues to promote ethical business. It is time to take individual responsibility and address the fundamental issues faced in day-to-day business environment that prevent professionals from safeguarding universally accepted ethical principles and values.

The following practical suggestions could motivate you to take the ethical road to success especially, for those who believe that adhering to ethical values will be a stumbling block for success in the present ‘get-rich-quick’ mentality.

Be bold and strong when standing alone

As professionals we need to learn to stand up on our feet and have the backbone to say ‘no’ when certain individuals gain their career aspirations through immoral ways. We should not be following the crowd even if such unethical practices are practised by ‘everyone’ including the top management. It is such a normal act that you will be cornered and not be part of the inner circle when you play the game by the rules and if such people with whom you are regularly corresponding are immoral and corrupt.

‘The rationale that everyone fudges, or that you have to cheat to stay competitive is a powerful lure, to be sure. The path to perdition is enticing, slippery and all downhill’ – Jon Huntsman, ‘Winners Never Cheat’, 2005.

‘When you speak, speak the truth; perform when you promise; discharge your trust… Withhold your hands from striking and from taking that which is unlawful and bad…’ – Dr. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India.

As professionals we should be bold and strong and not let such immoral leaders misuse company resources and encourage unethical practices. As far as possible, it is advisable not allow such leaders to walk all over you and end up doing majority of their work including unethical tasks, while they are busy doing nothing.

In a worst case scenario, leave the organization if you are fighting a losing battle (e.g. if you are in a situation where the top management acts as a puppet for all the ‘professional crooks’ who dominate most of the key decisions).

‘Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary’ – Steve Jobs.

‘Many companies and organisations are led by executives who fear bold, candid and talented subordinates. They seek only solicitous yes-types. They embrace adulation not leadership’ – Jon Huntsman, ‘Winners Never Cheat’, 2005.

Especially for female professionals

If you say a big ‘no’ for bad jokes, gossip, cut corners, late night parties (which are with political, immoral motives) and if you are a person who would strongly follow the principle that it will always be 1:1 and not keep switching partners at workplace, then you may not be part of the inner circle of your organization which informally controls most of the key decisions of an organization.

You may be misunderstood, falsely accused, humiliated, discriminated, be the main subject of office gossip and end up fighting your battles alone to stand up for your ethical values.

Yet learn to impress people by your dignity and decency which will outshine all the other obscene techniques of impressing your management which would have been displayed by your senior female colleagues. If you check such indecent female colleagues’ personal life, they are either divorced or would be having problems with their spouses although they may be holding very high positions. They may also be posing for great photos with their husbands at public events and upload many photos on social networking websites, but the truth is that within the four walls in their home it would be the opposite.

‘Men and women who maintain their universally shared values tend to achieve their goals, know happiness in home and work, and find greater purpose in their lives than simply accumulating wealth. – Jon Huntsman, ‘Winners Never Cheat’, 2005.

Therefore, if you are silently suffering because you have kept your margin to safeguard the ethical values, be courageous and take a stand to not succumb to the subtle traps of your male bosses and colleagues. If the situation worsens and the top management and your colleagues are continuously enticing to tarnish your good character, it is better to leave that organization to safeguard your values and to ensure a successful personal life.

Ethical road to success

The ethical road to success is a very difficult one but, the end will always be greater than your rough beginnings. The success can be yours only if you are willing to pay the price to compete cleanly in middle of rampant corruption and indecent behaviour; an era where cutting corners has become the norm.

The choice is yours: you can take the short-cut and follow the crowd to achieve your career goals by compromising the universally accepted ethical values, or you could walk the ethical path, which requires lot of guts to say a big ‘No’ and also to persevere when the ‘going gets tough.’ Yet, while journeying through the ethical road by withstanding all the oppositions and false accusations with a positive attitude, you can be the most courageous and bold professional.

After you make your mark in the corporate world, everyone including those who opposed you will look for guidance on how to achieve greater heights by taking the ethical road. The word will go out that ‘so and so’ will not give-in and will not compromise his / her values at any cost.

Eventually, all your silent sufferings will result in creating a unique personal brand for yourself which could be your greatest competitive advantage to stand out from the crowd. Your journey in the ethical road would definitely supersede all other means of establishing a powerful personal brand and to ensure long lasting success.

Therefore the ethical road to success is worth travelling because: ‘Forget about who finishes first and who finishes last. Decent honourable people finish races – and their lives – in grand style with respect’- Jon Huntsman, ‘Winners Never Cheat’, 2005.

(The writer holds a first class honors degree specialized in Human Resources Management along with three Gold Medals from the University of Colombo. She can be reached at sonia.chinnaiyah@gmail.com).




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