While reading the article “Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices,” what came to mind were my own professional experiences where leadership often exhibited unethical behaviors that often went unchecked and without correction. In these experiences, I found it difficult to stay dedicated to my work and often found it necessary to leave my position in order to maintain my sense of morality. The article discusses how organizations can pressure ethical employees into making unethical choices, and I personally related to all the approaches it described.

The article expressed how organizations can drive ethical employees to behave unethically by fostering an environment that suppresses honest dialogue. I am all too familiar with this concept; it was often in my previous experiences that simply stating you believed something was wrong was met with inappropriate hostile conduct, if your concerns were acknowledged at all. As a relatively new employee, it was common for seasoned employees to state to me, “That’s just the way it is,” after efforts to collaborate and confront unethical actions. This unaddressed conduct by leadership contributed to negative examples being set for an organization because the same way that employee grievances were handled was the same fashion in which stressful situations and poor performances were approached. I found myself not trusting in my leadership to properly manage these circumstances, although it was expected for the employees to do so. Because I value authenticity and strive to not be hypocritical, the high levels of hypocrisy I witnessed eventually pushed me to pursue other opportunities with other organizations.

While I have encountered unethical leadership, I have also experienced ethical leaders whose influence has been significant, exemplifying what the article expresses an ethical leader should be. These leaders gained my trust by acting with integrity and treating others with fairness and respect. They showed me the importance of staying true to my values, even when faced with challenges. Being around this kind of leadership encourages me to speak up, work with my coworkers to address issues, and lead with authenticity. Their example, along with this article, continues to teach me how to lead ethically.

Carucci, R. (2016). Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices. Harvard Business Review.