Ethics in 2016

I want to start this article before I start. In no way am I trying to make a political statement or do this about politics. But you must admit that the current 2016 presidential race has provided a wealth of talking points when it comes to ethics.

I would like to address something very close to my heart and something that I do not take for granted, the subject of ethics and how it applies to our daily lives and our businesses. In light of the massive media coverage of current political events, many feelings emerge as to how far we might be willing to push our ethical standards to get what we want.

LET ME BE PERFECTLY CLEAR! I am not interested in politics, but I am interested in the dialogue of ethical behavior. When someone can portray a disabled person in a derogatory way and get away with saying that they could shoot someone on the street and nothing would happen, we have an ethical dilemma. When a public official can be awarded a free pass when he violates our national security and the possible freedoms of millions of patriots in our countries with the bad judgment of an email server, one must question the ethics behind such actions.

Ask yourself a very simple question. Do you have the right to further your own purpose or cause at someone else’s expense, even if you believe it is for the greater good? Do you have the right to exploit others for your own benefit? Do you have the right to make decisions that could endanger others?

From a business perspective, ethics drives all the decisions that a business must make to be successful. We go into business to serve an underserved market, to provide value-based service, to offer a unique product, and / or to provide jobs for many of our citizens. But we also went into business to build a better life for our own families and the children to come.

So what are we going to do with the discourse of the current media and what is said and the action that takes place on our national stage? I was surprised by Bernie’s comments (NOT an endorsement) on the opening night of the DNC convention. He stood firm in his principles, he stood firm in his beliefs and he stood proud of everything he believed in without belittling others, without insults, with a hopeful heart and all his followers as well. He stood firm on his ethics, he stood firm on how he wanted others to see him. This is a great example of a strong ethical standard, isn’t it? Who determines an ethical standard? Who is right and someone is wrong? Why do we see so many conflicts when it comes to ethical behavior in today’s society?

I would say that ethics and ethical behavior is a measure of degrees, a measure of moral education and the upbringing of a person. Ethics are different in different cities in this country (correct or incorrect), different between different cultures (correct or incorrect), different between different beliefs (correct or incorrect). The moral fabric of our belief system will determine our ethical behavior. I hope and pray that we can reach a common ground on what ethical behavior looks like, because chaos and anarchy could be on the horizon.

Stop for a moment and think about your actions. Ask yourself a simple question, are my beliefs and behaviors affecting the way I walk on this journey we call life? Does it have a detrimental effect on others? Let’s talk about this, please give your opinion.