While reading “Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices” by Ron Carucci, I paused for a moment. I asked myself, “Would I ever make an unethical choice in the workplace given the opportunity to?” Then I sat for a moment and really tried to answer honestly. I put myself in the shoes of those Wells Fargo employees, even tried to empathize with them, having done what they did. For the right amount of money? If my coworker friend of 20 years was also doing it? I concluded that I just wouldn’t. No matter how bad things were or if I didn’t have a penny to my name, I wouldn’t. Then I continued reading… Bosses who set unrealistic goals with harsh consequences if not accomplished. Miscommunication or the lack of communication from leaders with people who are in need of help concerning ethics in the workplace. Bad role models surrounding ethical decisions. Okay, on second thought, maybe I am susceptible to such unethical choices. It seems as though this isn’t as black and white as I originally thought. People don’t just wake up one day different on their ethical standpoints and morals. It seems to be more of a continuation and ongoing process of events that lead to the bad choices being made. There are a myriad of reasons a person makes an unethical choice, and it doesn’t always boil down to even what I read in the article, I bet. I do believe, having read this though that my views on those Wells Fargo employees changed. For the better, too, because I now see just how complex such cases are, along with the importance of being knowledgeable on ethics within the workplace and in leadership.

Carucci, R. (2016, December 16). Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/12/why-ethical-people-make-unethical-choices