Ethics and Ego: A Symbiotic Relationship
What are ethics? There are a multitude of definitions, spanning from philosophical literature to corporate core values. No matter what definition you use or find, the underlying principles typically include good versus bad, right versus wrong, and some relationship to moral duty and obligation. But what does this mean? The subjective topic of ethics is difficult to universally define - what was ethical yesterday, may not be ethical today, and vice versa. Moreover, what may be considered ethical in other societies may be deemed unethical in ours.?
Navigating the various decisions and situations humans constantly encounter requires a sound moral compass. We will be challenged in whatever role we play, whether as a team member or as the leader of the team. Although there are numerous attributes, choices, and factors that influence our ethical decision making, I would like to focus on a controversial attribute that many would argue needs to be removed when making ethical decisions: one’s ego or sense of self-worth.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ego? Was it good, bad, or analytical? Ego is often associated with a negative connotation, but it does not have to be. With anything in life – food, medicine, exercise, and vitamins – too much or too little can make a dramatic impact. Too much ego can be an indicator of poor performance or leadership; there must be a balance. For example, there is a lot of ego among Special Operations communities, Law Enforcement SWAT Teams, Search and Rescue Teams, and Pilots; and there needs to be. Demanding jobs require balanced egos which enable members of these elite teams to constantly run towards high-risk situations.?
So, what is the correlation between a balanced ego and ethics? It is simple, without some level of ego an individual may fall easily into making a poor ethical decision. This is not black and white, nothing in ethics is. But take any situation where someone’s ethics was questioned or investigated, and ask yourself “why?” or how?” One could easily argue too much ego may have caused the ethical dilemma, but an argument could be made that there was not enough ego to withstand the pressures or underlying predicaments that led to an unethical decision. Standing firm and challenging the status quo is a complex undertaking for anyone, but especially for one with a poor ego.?
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If a board of directors unanimously voted to do something that went against your values or code of ethics that would cost you your job if you did not go along, would you still go along? It is easy to say “of course not,” but factor in life: what if your wife got laid off, your kid is sick, or insert any number of life altering events that happen daily. Would that change your answer? You may not know how you would respond. Some individuals in that situation choose the unethical route because they lack the ego to stand strong and be guided by their moral compass - to choose the hard right over the easy wrong.?
Like ethics, there is no right or wrong approach. We each have our own way of tackling this challenging world. The next time someone argues to take the ego out of an unethical decision, I challenge you to consider the possibility that there was not enough ego to stand firm for what is right. I further challenge you to look back to the many situations in your life that perhaps a little more ego would have changed the outcome or how you handled a particular situation.