As attractive as high salary and comfortable lifestyle are to many, the life of a true professional is guided less by the desire to amass material goods than by a willingness to adhere to a code of ethical behavior and make the sometimes selfless decisions that protect the public and the corporation from misdeeds. In ideal form, that code of behavior is an expression of everything we have covered in this text regarding virtue, character, commitment, resilience, and the use of professional skills and training for the benefit of others. As first-century BCE Jewish religious leader Rabbi Hillel is said to have put it, \u201cIf I am not for myself, then who will be? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Today, it is often said that what counts at the end of a career is not how much money we made or how high up the corporate ladder we climbed. Rather, the real test is the difference we made\u2014whether we have helped others or succumbed to motives such as greed and hubris (excess pride). Hubris creates the delusion that we are above the law and will never get caught. It has been used to justify many ruthless decisions whose sole criterion, in the end, is the potential for personal gain. This book has provided many examples on which to reflect about whether taking this short-term view actually benefits the company. In fact, hubris has ruined many lives and taken down a number of companies. Some, like Enron and Theranos, were once touted as icons of efficiency and ethical leadership.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Identifying Your Values and Mission<\/h2>\r\n
The values we choose to honor are the essence of ourselves, and we carry them with us wherever we live, work, and play. As we noted, the career you choose should reflect your values, whether you work at a for-profit or nonprofit organization, at Wells Fargo Bank or Doctors Without Borders (a medical rescue organization). It also is possible that you might work for a for-profit company and volunteer extensively on your own or on behalf of your firm in the nonprofit sector. Whatever path your career takes, it remains important not to let your well-considered values be diminished by others who do not prize loyalty or industriousness, for instance. Your career is not a contest in which the person who finishes with the biggest portfolio or fastest jet skis wins anything other than an empty prize. It is far better to treat others with integrity and respect and be surrounded by the true emblems of a successful career\u2014family, friends, and colleagues who will attest to the dignity with which you have worked. In the final analysis, if you achieve a life of honor, then you have won.<\/p>\r\n
How do you keep personal values like integrity, fairness, and respect close at hand? The best way is by writing them down, prioritizing them, and fashioning them into a personal mission statement. Most companies have mission statements, and people can have them, too. Yours will guide you on your path, clear away distractions on the road, and help you correct any missteps. It should be flexible, too, to account for changes in yourself and your goals. Your mission statement is not a global positioning system so much as a compass that guides you toward discovering who you are and what drives you ((Figure)<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n Let us write your mission statement. Because it will reflect your values, start by identifying a handful of values that matter most to you. You can do this by answering the questions in (Figure)<\/a>; you may also find it beneficial to keep a journal and update your answers to these questions regularly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2018\/09\/OSX_Ethics_11_04_YourPath.jpg\")
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