![]() But many ethical leaders recommend the opposite practice. Many companies are tempted to make the "good" financial decision and then justify it later. Studies have shown that the mere exposure to money or mention of financial consequences can trigger ethical fading. (Researchers have suggested, for example, that Ellen DeGeneres's motto "Be Kind to One Another" might be posted near handicapped parking spots to prevent people from misusing them.) Research shows that a personal moral motto, slogan, or mantra can influence not only yourself but others as well-even your boss. The best reminders will be clear, helping us cut through the grey areas in a decision. REMIND yourself of your moral compass.Ī well-timed and well-placed reminder can help us keep your moral compass in mind when a difficult choice arises. It can help you build trust with your employees and win the confidence of potential investors. Clear language has many other benefits as well. Similarly, we call firings or layoffs "right-sizing," "involuntary separation," or "streamlining." In each case, our euphemisms allow us to ignore the plight of people who may be harmed or treated unfairly due to our decisions. We have 'collateral damage' in military campaigns, not civilian deaths." There may be some 'externalities' associated with a strategy, not harmful to others or the environment. "We engage in 'aggressive' accounting practices, not illegal ones. Sometimes we use hazy language or technical terms to hide the moral components of our decisions. While we will never be immune to ethical fading, we can take steps to guard ourselves and our organizations against its harmful effects. By making what appeared to be the smart "business decision," Ford's leaders made an unethical choice and put many customers in harm’s way.Įthical fading is subconscious, and that makes it tricky to combat. ![]() But after an analysis suggested it would be cheaper to pay off lawsuits than make the $11-per-vehicle fix, Ford decided not to repair the flaw. In crash tests, the Ford Pinto's gas tank showed a tendency to explode. Notre Dame researcher Ann Tenbrunsel points out that ethical fading played a role the famous case of the Ford Pinto in the 1970s. When ethical fading takes place in high-stakes situations, the results can be disastrous. ![]() It's one of the main reasons there is a gap between how we intend to behave and how we actually end up behaving. Researchers call this process ethical fading. ![]() We rarely mean to do the wrong thing, but subtle cues lead us to ignore the moral implications of our decisions. This problem applies to countless decisions both big small that we make every day. The fine was the price they paid for receiving a service. But after the fine, lateness wasn’t about morality anymore it was simply a financial decision. They were likely to feel guilty or ashamed for arriving late. Before the fines, their lateness was a moral issue. The fine was intended to eliminate late pick-ups-why did it have the opposite effect? The researchers suggest that it was because the fine changed the way the parents perceived their lateness. By the end of the study, the centers that introduced the fines had roughly twice as many late pick-ups as the centers that didn't introduce the new policy. The study's authors worked with 10 different daycare centers and randomly selected six to introduce a system of fines for late pick-ups. In fact, the approach will likely backfire, according to a well-known study published in 2000. Will this bold move solve your problem? Probably not. Each parent who is more than 10 minutes late will have to pay extra. You want to protect your staff, and you want to drive home the message to parents that it’s important to arrive on time. They become annoyed, frustrated, and burned out. You’re facing a problem: parents often arrive late to pick up their children.
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