Post 2

As an undergrad at the University of Arizona, I was in the Arizona Blue Chip Program, a four-year leadership development program. I learned a lot in that program, and I was proud to be a member. Blue Chip emphasized ethical leadership. I wanted to be the best leader I could be.

The summer between my Junior and Senior year, I backed into someone's car in a parking lot. I didn't stick around, I didn't leave a note. I was scared because I had gotten into an accident a few months ago, and I didn't want my insurance to go up even more. I just drove away. I feel guilty about it every day. I can't think about ethical leadership without thinking about this situation, and thinking about it makes me ill. I feel like a fraud. But, it was probably one of the best leadership lessons I've ever learned.

Being atheist, there's no one I can ask for forgiveness. So I carry this with me. And when the cashier didn't ring up my sweater when I went shopping a few weeks ago, I thought about the parking lot. After checking the receipt, I walked back into the store and told her she didn't ring it up. She thanked me for being honest, and I lied and said I didn't want her to get in trouble. The truth was that I knew that I could have gotten away with it and saved $12.00, but I didn't want to live with that. Each time I find myself in an "ethical dilemma", I think about that day in the parking lot.

Being ethical isn't easy. And it's not always fun. But in the end, what it comes down to is "can I live with this"? Being honest isn't easy either. Sometimes it's easier to tell a white lie to a friend to avoid hurting her/his feelings. Those little white lies are pretty easy to forget, because you can rationlalize them away. It's hard to rationalize backing into someone's car and leaving. I suppose that is where society comes into play. Society tends to frown upon damaging someone else's property. But hurting someone's feelings is also considered "bad". And while lying is generally condsidered bad, if it is just a small lie, half-truth, or "leaving out some facts", it's ok if it serves the purpose of protecting someone's feelings. Ethics are funny like that.