I have had yet another opportunity this year to closely observe the effects of managerial despotism on a hard-working, creative and idealistic man. I watched what began as a labor of love become simply unrewarding labor. I watched as his enthusiasm faded and his trust in those he worked with was lost. As disheartening as this was, it wasn't the worst effect. The worst was watching this man question his own judgment, his own faith in the relative goodness of people, and most important of all, his own ability to be effective in the world.
The problem is that deep down inside many good-hearted and moral people, there lies an inherent belief that we are all truly responsible for creating our own happiness. This sense of responsibility leads them to question themselves rather than to lay the blame on the causes of their perceived failures. I have just lately begun to wonder if this trait might be contributing to the perceived "success" of practicing business without ethics.
There seems to be a trend among some who enter the business world to regard ethics, values and simple moral behavior as concepts that somehow interfere with profitable and successful ventures. Are these concepts perceived as weaknesses? Are such people afraid that by allowing conscience to sway them they will somehow be tagged as "easy marks" or not "tough enough" to succeed? And if these opinions are truly theirs, is that how they see the people who embrace these concepts? Does this explain their seeming contempt of those people, or condone their treatment of them?
And just where did they get these ideas to begin with? Who taught them that promises are not really valid unless a legal contract exists that clearly states that they must be kept? Is respect/fear of the law's retribution truly more important to them than the value of their own word, or honor? Is the idea of a "man of his word" too hopelessly old-fashioned for today?
If so, it's no wonder to me that so many have such a tough time with self-image these days. How can you feel good about looking in the mirror and saying, "Well, I broke another promise today, thereby creating a new lie for my list, but it's okay. I gained a more powerful foothold in the world of commerce, and have assured that my own future will be more secure and profitable." Is the worth of a man now measured by how much money he has, rather than who he is or what he stands for?
I used to laughingly say "Money is the new God." I'm not laughing anymore, for if men will allow money more importance than his fellow man, or even himself, then the words have become too uncomfortably true for joking.
By now you must be wondering how all of this ties in with my statement about self examination and it's contribution to the practice of business without ethics. To understand this, you must remember that we are all mirrors for each other. We perceive ourselves in relation to how we are perceived by those around us, and judge ourselves accordingly. If we deem a behavior to be "good" and the majority of those around us deem it to be "bad" we begin to question our own value systems, intelligence and ability to be effective.
Knowing this, how long will an idealistic man be able to maintain his integrity in an environment which scorns those ideals? How many times will he be robbed of his productivity and sneered at for his weakness before he will become embittered and lose faith? And without his faith, what will keep him from adopting the tools and tactics of his business "adversaries" in order to negate his past "failures?" Perhaps this is how the very people who are mistreating him were robbed of their own honor and self-worth.
Man is adaptable, for good or for ill, and will do what he must to survive. Is the sacrifice of ideals the price of survival in business? Can't profit be made and shared by all without resorting to bullying, lies and subterfuge? Or is profit truly something worth walking over other people for; worth denying our better judgment and the whisperings of our conscience for? Is this the prevalent attitude in business today, or have I just been exposed to more than my share of "bad apples?"
You tell me. I am also losing faith, and I have no answers anymore.