On Seeing the Big Picture (Long Term vs. Short Term)

It’s a constant struggle. Doesn’t matter if you’re the CEO of a large corporation, or if you’re a person with a few bucks in a mutual fund. Which takes precedent, the long term or the short? If you only manage for short term profit, you will destroy the sustainability of your investment. If you ignore the short term you may not be around long enough to enjoy the eventual outcome. There is no simple answer. In fact, the natural tension between the long and short term expose the values which determine our ethics.

Repeat this: Starting with me, big picture questions will be a platform for examining values and improving ethics.

On Speaking Positively

Come on, I know you heard it from your parents or teachers: “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.” That’s good advice with immense implications for ethical behavior. Speaking positively creates an atmosphere of hope, of safety, and of trust. These are all vital to being able to openly explore moral issues and our resulting behaviors. Where negative attitudes are the norm, people expect everything to be wrong. Negative talk seems constantly judgmental. Is that you? Is that your workplace? Stop it.

Repeat this: Starting with me, there will be a positive outlook around here. I will speak the good word.

On Taking the First Step to Peace

Who should take the first steps toward peace? Do we demand an apology before we are willing to forgive? Is it the victor or the loser who extends the olive branch? The answer depends on what we are really after. If we value principles above positions, if we value cooperation above justification, if we value being together above being “right,” then taking the first step toward peace is the first step toward peace.

Repeat this: Starting with me, peace will be the desired outcome. I will swallow my pride and take the first step.

On Rest and Vacation

Did you ever think of “rest” as a moral issue? Probably not. But rest is important to maintaing a consistent ethical stance in everything we do. When we are stressed, tired, weak or sick, our decisions will tend to be based on our own needs first. It’s the human trait of self-preservation. But ethical behavior is based on recognizing and respecting the needs of others, as well as ourselves.

Repeat this: Starting with me, rest, vacation, and time off will be valued as a moral imperative. I will keep myself prepared to make sound ethical decisions.

On Submission to Authority

In our society, submission seems to have a negative connotation, but it simply means “to place oneself under authority.” Note where the power lies – in the one submitting. Our whole society is built on submission. We have chosen to place ourselves under the authority of our own elected officials. We exercised the power to put them in authority. Think about this. Every time we commit an act that is illegal, we erode their authority, and at the same time, weaken our own power. Can you grasp the dilemma here?

Repeat this: Starting with me, submission is a virtue, not a dirty word. I will respect my country’s laws and those who make them.