For every choice there is a consequence! In today's environment of Enron, HP and other corporate scandals we find executives facing prison time. This problem starts early and as this article illustrates, in a profound way, left unchecked it will get worse. Teaching youth and changing our thinking is critical to reversing the erosion of ethics we face today.
This creates a foundation for what appears today to be an ethical conundrum. We see ethic breeches all around, in fact, reported in abundance. People making the wrong choices – suffering negative consequences – and yet, recent studies (2006: www.teenadvice.about.com) show that teens would act unethically to get ahead. While that number, as a percentage had dropped from a similar study in 2003 done by JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement) and Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Deloitte), the reality is a problem still exists.
"We believe it is incumbent upon organizations to create a culture that values personal integrity and expects ethical behavior," said James H. Quigley, CEO of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. "When students tell us they can be swayed under pressure, it's a call for help. Supporting education and dialogue about ethical decision-making is an important way we can encourage kids who may have difficulty making the right choice, and it's a long-term investment in fostering a high standard of integrity in the marketplace."
The initial responses written in this article were made by fourth graders in North Carolina back in 1996. On this day they were addressed by three people, who by all accounts, were defined as “nobody.” These children were addressed by inmates from Federal Prison. Each inmate shared their personal story in hopes that some impression might be made early to sway the opinion of the child and give support to making positive choices. “Perhaps, if we can help others see the consequences of the choices we made, they won’t make the same mistakes,” stated one inmate named Ted. While the inmates called them mistakes, society called them crimes and all were ethic breeches. There was a passion in their hearts to reach out and provide truth about unethical choices.
The messages were powerful and, make no mistake, the children – especially at that age – took it all in. Two followed up with letters which are excerpted as follows:
Dear 11642.058, Thank you for coming to talk to us about what you did when you were young, so I will not do it. I'm really glad you came.
Sincerely,StacyAnother wrote:
Dear 11642.058,I really loved your speech a lot. I wish that you were out of jail, so that you could write back to me.
Sincerely,Josh Exposed to a hard dose of reality in the fourth grade, these children today would be in college. One can only hope that the effort to touch these lives early had some influence. It is true that once taught, it is in the brain and at some point the truth they heard that day will be a reminder to them as they make ethical choices everyday. Certainly, as the CEO of Deloitte said, “Supporting education and dialogue about ethical decision-making is an important way we can encourage kids.” He’s right!The Choices Foundation, is a non-profit organization that has a mission to provide just those services. High school and University students are targeted to hear presentations about ethics and their consequences – either negative or positive. As you read this article if you feel that you would like to sponsor a presentation to a high school, college or university – please contact Chuck Gallagher at www.chuckgallagher.com for more information.
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