In the past year, did you keep the money if a cashier gave you too much change? Did you lie to your boss, a customer, or a significant other? Did you use the Internet for personal reasons at work? Did you distort or conceal facts on a resumé or in a job interview? Did you inflate an expense or insurance claim? Did you make unauthorized copies of software or music?
Have you ever lied about your child’s age to save money or provided your youngster with a false excuse for missing school? If it was the only way to get your child into a better school, would you lie about your address?
We’ve posted an integrity assessment here so you can see how you measure up with respect to questions like these.
A lack of integrity in any of the everyday matters above may be just a moral misdemeanor compared to the felonious sorts of fraud and corruption that have shredded the economic foundation of our country. Nonetheless, they demonstrate an unwillingness to walk the talk when it comes to honesty.
Most of us stray from our highest ethical ambitions from time to time, but we do so selectively, convincing ourselves that we’re justified and that occasional departures from ethical principles are inconsequential when it comes to our character.
Most of us judge ourselves by our best actions and intentions, but children who watch everything we do may be learning from our worst.
No one expects you to be perfect, but you might find it informative to take the test and see if you stray from the straight and narrow path of your own ideals too far or too often.
About the author: Michael Josephson is one of the nation’s most sought-after and quoted ethicists. Founder and president of Josephson Institute and its CHARACTER COUNTS! project, he has conducted programs for more than 100,000 leaders in government, business, education, sports, law enforcement, journalism, law, and the military. Mr. Josephson is also an award-winning radio commentator.
This article was published by the Josephson Institute.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment