Acting Ethically

Each and every individual has his or her own set of morals.  Our experiences, beliefs, and personal influences dictate what we believe to be right and wrong.  Similarly, most businesses have a contract that covers what they believe to be morally correct and as an employee, you are expected to abide by their rules and follow their guidelines.  There are times when their beliefs and your beliefs may not line up ideally, so communicating your concerns with those in charge and acting ethically based on your standards, as well as theirs, is important. 

 

Showing integrity and doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences or implications that may follow, is imperative as a businessperson. Ethical issues will stick with you for you the duration of your business career, something that isn't worth jeopardizing for the sake of a little money, promotion, or colleague. Though it takes time and effort to build trust and cultivate relationships, it only takes a split second and one unethical decision to cause all of those relationships to implode. Avoiding these catastrophic moments is simple if you think of how your actions may impact the opposing party, any existing alternatives, and consult outside, unbiased sources. As General Van Alstyne of the Mays Business Schools often states, "Unless someone is shooting at you, and sometimes even then, you have more time than you think to make a decision." 

 

It is important to realize that you are always representing your business and, likewise, your business is always representing you. For this reason, neither of you should act unethically, as it would be a poor reflection on the opposite party.  Holding yourself to a high standard is sure to be rewarding, and should be an expectation for everyone, not just those that invest their time in the business world. Unlike other aspects of the professional realm that require extensive training and education, acting ethically is something simple and a talent we were born with. Unfortunately, though, it is still a characteristic that can distinguish you from your peers, as not everyone takes acting ethically seriously.

 

Recently, I assisted in the recruitment process for my sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. The first step in determining whether or not an individual is eligible to join our sisterhood is objectively assessing her GPA. We are required to analyze GPA’s on a variety of scales so to simplify the process, we convert them all to the standard, 4-point scale. As I analyzed these numbers, I began to question the validity of the provided scale because, in addition to providing their GPA’s, girls are encouraged to include their class rankings and test scores. Though there isn’t a direct correlation between GPA and these other measurements, they are rarely polar opposite of one another. Before making a decision, I thought intently about the consequences and repercussions of my actions while considering the resources I had available and time sensitivity of the situation. I considered changing the scales of only the people that I knew, researching every high school’s GPA scale, and leaving everyone as is. After all, it is ultimately the potential new member’s responsibility to provide honest and accurate information. Though this seems like an inconsequential ethical dilemma, my actions had the power to directly influence more than 1300 girls’ futures. Upon completing this task, I made a list of suggestions for improvement that will hopefully allow our recruitment team to bypass this issue in the future.