October 2014 Top 5
The Ethics of Trust
Trust and ethical decision-making are intertwined. Ethical behavior usually enhances trust. Unethical behavior usually erodes trust. The former does not require perfection. Rather, best efforts to prioritize ethics in all decision-making and swiftly taking responsibility for and remedying, ethical failings, builds trust. The latter does not require perfection either. Even partially or potentially unethical behavior or a hint of impropriety generates the doubt that becomes a slippery slope to mistrust. Mistrust can lead to fear (such as the National Security Agency accessing personal data) or unhelpful self-protective measures (like home-made Ebola protection suits). Worse, mistrust often leads to further unethical behavior. Think of all of the athletes taking performance-enhancing drugs because they believe everyone does.
This month’s Top 5 collects some of the most insightful commentary and pertinent examples I have seen on the topic during the past month. Read more →