| "The ideals which have always shown before me and | | | | A third factor that affects the degree to which an |
| filled me with the joy of living are goodness beauty | | | | individual may morally disengage and rationalize |
| and truth. To make a goal of comfort or happiness | | | | dishonesty is the environment and culture in which |
| had never appealed to me; a system of ethics built | | | | one finds oneself - work environment, home |
| on this basis would be sufficient only for a herd of | | | | environment, play environment. |
| cattle." - Albert Einstein | | | | As you reflect on your workplace environment, your |
| Some people routinely behave in unethical, immoral | | | | home environment, and your recreational |
| and untrustworthy behaviors and hardly ever | | | | environment, what is the culture around dishonesty, |
| experience one scintilla of guilt. How is this so? | | | | cheating, lying, or behaving unethically? What are the |
| There's a growing body of evidence that says such | | | | tacit, subtle, silent or unwritten rules that reflect |
| folks "disengage" from their core values, detour from | | | | immorality, illegality, dishonesty and unethical |
| their moral compass and, more than that, consciously | | | | behavior? Is moral disengagement a |
| "forget" information that would otherwise limit their | | | | "business-as-usual" strategy? Is there a growing |
| inappropriate behavior. | | | | sense of pervasive dishonesty? |
| It's quite evident many folks behave dishonestly and | | | | Given the permissive nature of our culture, the |
| then rationalize their dishonest behavior in a way that | | | | strong force of peer pressure and the almost |
| let's them off the "honesty" hook. | | | | obsessive need for folks to "fit in" or "stand out" and |
| No longer are the criminals the only rule-breakers in | | | | to be regarded as "somebody" - even those with a |
| our society. The "dishonest" live and work in virtually | | | | strong internal core value system - can often |
| every system and organization - finance, politics, | | | | succumb to an unethically permissive environment. |
| healthcare, education - even in our homes; our culture | | | | Where opportunities, pressure or "silent consent" |
| has become inundated by the "dishonest" and | | | | drive others to lie, cheat and steal, many will - even |
| "untrustworthy". | | | | the "strong-willed." |
| The interesting notion, however, is that these blue- | | | | The antidote to moral disengagement |
| and while-collar folks use the same excuses as | | | | Folks choose to be ethical or unethical, trustworthy |
| criminals use for their crimes of dishonesty. | | | | or untrustworthy. There are a number of efforts one |
| Psychologists tell us that "moral disengagement" and | | | | can take to support honesty, ethical behavior and |
| "moral self-regulation" lead to dishonesty. The deal is | | | | trustworthy behavior. Here are a few: |
| there are two modes of reacting when - either by | | | | Conducting formal, on-going conversations about |
| commission or omission - one commits a dishonest | | | | ethics and moral behavior. Such experiences can help |
| act: (1) one can link their act to their moral goals and | | | | to put a stop to some folks' moral disengagement. |
| values or (2) one can uncouple their dishonesty from | | | | Asking individuals, (yes, even at home) to read, |
| their moral goals and values. We seem to be | | | | discuss and sign a "moral code of behavior" or honor |
| experiencing more and more of the latter. | | | | code. Such actions can help raise people's awareness |
| When one behaves dishonestly and unethically, one | | | | which can stem the tide of unethical behavior. |
| experiences both a mental and physical reaction. | | | | Publicly fostering an open agreement by all to live the |
| Mentally, one experiences "cognitive dissonance" - a | | | | espoused values of the organization (or family, or |
| knowing that there is a "disconnect" between one's | | | | team) and having open conversations with others |
| act and one's value system, and there is a | | | | when they do not. |
| "felt-somatic" sense in the body that is experienced | | | | Reviewing processes and procedures that invite |
| as discomfort. | | | | dishonesty and moving to enact ways to prevent |
| So, what to do? | | | | inappropriate behavior from occurring. |
| The curious question is how do folks respond to their | | | | Publicize behaviors and practices that have |
| dissonance and discomfort? How do they come to | | | | detrimental organizational and human effects |
| grips with their distress? There are those who "do | | | | Increase the transparency of the discussions that |
| the right thing" and move into alignment with their | | | | give birth to organizational policies and practices. The |
| core values and moral code. And there are those | | | | more discourse, the less folks may engage in moral |
| who go through a "rationalization and judgmental" | | | | disengagement. |
| process, i.e., "moral disengagement", in order to clear | | | | Initiating consequences. There must be consequences |
| their conscience in order to view their action as | | | | for bad behavior. Period! |
| "morally permissible." | | | | Self-responsibility - it's all about "me" |
| In addition, there are those who disengage morally in | | | | In the final analysis, I am responsible for my actions. |
| order to benefit from another's dishonest or unethical | | | | "The devil made me do it" and "Everybody does it" |
| behavior (e.g., buying clothes from a company that | | | | excuses do not apply - ever. There is a direct |
| looks the other way, ignores human rights and uses | | | | coupling between action, goal and motivation (i.e, core |
| child labor). | | | | values). I and I alone am responsible for that |
| Questioning myself | | | | alignment or misalignment - for moral engagement or |
| To what extent do I use "moral disengagement" as a | | | | moral disengagement. Whether I choose to adhere |
| strategy to excuse my or another's unethical actions | | | | to my internal moral rules or not, that's my choice. |
| as "permissible?" And, why? And, to what extent do | | | | The sad corollary of moral disengagement is that, like |
| I use moral disengagement to actually perpetuate | | | | a drug, the need to morally disengage can spiral |
| unethical and dishonest behavior - mine and others'? | | | | down into a hellish vortex leading to a life (at work, |
| The vast number of "hypocrites" who have surfaced | | | | at home and at play) of obsessive lying, cheating, |
| or been "outed" (and those who haven't yet) in | | | | stealing and dishonesty. |
| recent days, weeks, months and years in the arenas | | | | "The needs of society determine its ethics." Maya |
| of, for example, politics, sports, finance and religion | | | | Aneglou |
| are a prime example of the duplicity that moral | | | | Living for the moment, driven by greed, caught up in |
| disengagement perpetuates. | | | | competition and consumerism and living in a |
| The hypocrisy is couched in the belief that " I engage | | | | workplace and social environment that says, "It's OK |
| in more ethical behavior than others." Or, "I am less | | | | to be a criminal", moral disengagement has become |
| unfair than others." Or "I have a right to be more | | | | the "behavior-du-jour". When we uncouple our |
| suspicious of others' actions than they do of mine." | | | | behavior from our internal moral code, and detour |
| Or, "others are more greedy and driven by money | | | | from our moral compass with an "ends justifies the |
| than I am." Or, "I am more honest and trustworthy | | | | means" or "everybody does it" mindset, we are |
| than others." | | | | putting our individual futures at risk. The Universal |
| Guilt, shame and self-regulation | | | | Law of Attraction - The Universal Law of the Circle - |
| The underlying ego-need underlying moral | | | | says what we give out we get back. |
| disengagement is to absolve one's self of guilt, blame | | | | Is "moral disengagement" the underlying life principle |
| or shame for their dishonest deeds, of the | | | | of the legacy you want to leave? |
| disconnect exiting between their values and their | | | | So, some questions for self-reflection are: |
| actions. When one decides to act dishonestly, their | | | | Is getting ahead more important than how you get |
| tendency to morally disengage is higher than when | | | | there? |
| they consider another's unethical behavior. Simply, | | | | Is cheating OK if no one gets hurt? |
| "I'm ethical and you're not" - given the same | | | | Is unethical behavior OK because others are doing it? |
| dishonest behavior. | | | | Do the ends justify the means? |
| The truth is that everyone, repeat, everyone, can | | | | Are you aware of the ethical standards in your |
| self-censure. Everyone has the ability to consciously | | | | workplace? Are there ongoing discussions about |
| view their actions, and self-regulate, i.e., act morally or | | | | ethics and standards? If not, why not? |
| not. Everyone has the choice to engage in good | | | | Do you use euphemistic language to sanitize or |
| behavior or bad behavior and judge their actions. | | | | condone moral disengagement? |
| The choice | | | | Do you ever use moral disengagement in your |
| The ethical and moral bottom line is whether one | | | | personal life to justify unethical or dishonest |
| chooses to activate their self-regulatory process - to | | | | behavior? If so, why? |
| consciously consider their values and standards, their | | | | Do you ever encourage others to act without (their |
| moral code, their conduct in the moment. | | | | considering their own) moral restraint? |
| There are those who choose to not engage their | | | | Do you purchase products from companies you |
| self-regulatory process, to morally disengage. The | | | | know to be in violation of human rights or other |
| choice to morally disengage depends to a great | | | | ethical standards? |
| extent on the strength of an individual's core values | | | | On a scale of 1-10, how trustworthy would you say |
| and their motivations. | | | | you are. What would others say? How do you |
| Workplace culture and other environments | | | | know? |
| "It is not always the same thing to be a good man | | | | Can you envision a life where moral disengagement is |
| and a good citizen" - Aristotle | | | | never an option? |