Ethics

David Maister is a consultant to firms all over the world. Formerly a professor at the Harvard Business School, he now spends 250 days on the road teaching business professionals how to do a better job. His emphasis is not on technical skills but on ethics, values, and morality. He says that successful firms are not necessarily smarter but more ethical. It reminds us of the old adage, "Honesty is the Best Policy."

It is good to hear that the motto is true, but the real test of character is this: am I honest when it is not the best policy? It is nice to have a practical benefit from ethical and moral behavior. But even if there were none, believers are committed to be ethical and moral and honest for a different and higher reason.