Do You Feel Comfortable Being Totally Honest At Your Organization? Why Not?
Unfortunately, honesty actually doesnt pay - at least in most organisations (secular or christian). I think people choosing to be honest must also accept a significant pay cut and diminished career opportunities. Most people tend to exibit a functional honesty (i.e. when its economically beneficial) but its rare indeed to find someone who is willing to be honest when financial penalties are attached.
I once had to resign from my job at Newscorp because my boss was committing fraud. Unfortunately, he was answerable only to someone on the other side of the world. I could have gone along with the lie (like everyone else in the office) or done the whistleblower thing. Instead I invented a third option - resign. I told him why I was resigning in my exit interview.
My father is an Atheist with deep convictions. He's also the most ethical person I have ever known.
When I was about 11 years old he blew the whistle on his corporation and lost his job. Our family experienced considerable upheaval in terms of material circumstances. Literally, we lived on his sailboat for the summer while he figured out how to make a living. It was one of the most wonderful times in my life. We had some incredible adventures that summer, and our family life was pretty much ideal.
In the Fall he began teaching at a community college. While we still lived in an affluent community, we did not live an affluent lifestyle any more. We did however, live extraordinarily well.
It was impossible to envy other kids, because my dad was the perfect father and husband. We had it made, and we knew it. Other kids parents divorced, other moms became alcoholics, other kids dads lost their tempers and kicked and punched their children, other Dads beat their wives black and blue. That was unthinkable in our home. We had real security. We knew our father would always do what was right, no matter how hard it was.
So yes, being honest carries a high price tag, but it's part of a pattern of behavior that makes for a joyful way of life. I highly recommend it.
I voted 'yes' in the poll but it's a qualified 'yes'. I've always been a person who believes that speaking truth is the better way to go. And at times it's cost me, professionally and personally. I remember one senior VP I reported to in a past workplace who was himself under tremendous pressure to get numbers up and increase productivity at the expense of staff workload and quality of the product. I had raised those concerns several times and finally one day he called me into his office to have "a little talk" and he said he needed to know if "I was on his team or not". I said yes, because, overall I was. But I again underscored the concerns I had. Four months later I was out of a job. Was I consistent? Yes. Did I do what I thought I should, on behalf of the employees I managed? Yes. Did I follow procedure and show respect up and down the food chain? Yes. In the end it didn't matter; the situation only worsened at that company after I left and the VP received a promotion.
So at this point in my life and career, I continue to speak the truth but in an even more measured way. I work for a Christian non-profit that has major management issues, the kinds of things you don't learn until you've been in a place for a while. I'm in a position to offer truth (constructive ideas, support, perspective, experience, etc.) in various settings but every time I do people get nervous. It's very clear that those who suggest that the emperor has no clothes have their motives, spirituality and degree of commitment to the organization questioned. It's sad because the organization could be much better than it is if the atmosphere and environment was more conducive to accepting true and honest interaction between management and staff. The result is people feel unappreciated, negatively-motivated and suppressed. Just one of the ironies of working for a 'Christian' organization.
Absatively! You've heard of "retentive", I'm sure. We don't have that issue. Every single one of us is an "expulsive". We try to be gentle, but we're pretty frank.