5. Recognizing Your Vulnerabilities

Regardless of the level of expertise or number of degrees you have received, no amount of education can make you genuinely care about being ethical. Being ethical means you have made a personal decision that this is who you want to be in the world and that you’re willing to work at it. Recall a time when you became aware of others taking part in some activity that seemed inappropriate, perhaps doing something against the rules or even illegal. For example, someone padded an expense report, accepted a gift from a supplier without reporting it, or inappropriately used company resources. Such actions are not as benign as they can appear. While others around you may have pursued such activities, maybe you held your ground, staying above the moral line.