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Why good employees do bad things. (2017)

“…the notion that only bad people behave unethically is false.

Laura W. Geller, senior editor
strategy-business.com, 30 January 2017 (Wharton publication)
Interviewing Maryam Kouchaki, assistant professor, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

“For outsiders observing a scandal at a company or organization, the situation often seems … incomprehensible. How did leaders let it happen? Why did so many people go along with the wrongdoing? And for so long?

“The view from the inside of a scandal-plagued organization is considerably different. We know that, in business as in life, good people sometimes do bad things — whether it’s a small lie or a giant fraud, a one-time act of dishonesty or an ongoing deception….

“(Kouchaki comments) I often hear from employees that they feel exhausted and stressed…. when people feel pressured, it can deplete the resources they need to act morally and resist temptations. It can put them in a state of threat. And when people are in this position, they are more likely to engage in self-interested behaviors that they would otherwise avoid. Because in that moment, the brain goes into defensive mode – people are thinking only about their benefits in the short term.

“…the notion that only bad people behave unethically is false.

… in a number of studies [with Harvard’s Francesca Gino] we’ve found evidence for what we call unethical amnesia. Over time, people’s memory of their past unethical actions becomes less detailed and less vivid compared to other types of actions

“…Encouraging creativity is critical for organizational learning and innovation. However … creativity … can create a sense of entitlement; a feeling that “I deserve more than others.” … other people’s behavior reinforces this feeling in creative people. … They begin to feel unique or rare. Then, when people think they are special, they start to think they can break rules and not be punished.

“…when employees are pressured to cut ethical corners (they’re more) likely over time, as a defensive strategy, to segment (their) identity….

“In my research, I’ve found that that encouraging authenticity can lead people to speak up, to feel less stressed, and to engage in better behaviors.”

Access the full article here: Why good employees do bad things.

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