Question

In your own experience, how has a leader’s encouragement caused you to behave unethically? (Take a very broad sense of the word “leader.” In the film, the leaders were the Enron Chairman and CEO. You might imagine a leader in a home, club, organizational, work, or other setting where you could be influenced by someone above you.)

Conflicts of interest are rampant throughout the Enron case. What kinds of conflicts of interest have you witnessed or faced at work? What is it that makes those situations conflicts of interest?

At the end of the film, one of the traders reflects back on his time at Enron and laments the fact that he never asked “why?” Identify a time when you didn’t “ask why” and discuss whether or not you should have been more aware to ask.

Answer 1

To behave ethically means to understand what is right and what is wrong. In the same way as per my experience at the workplace leader has encouraged to behave ethically except in few instance. The ethics which was injected in me was to behave in a respectful manner, providing opinions for the welfare of the organization, and to be accountable in the work handled by me, to be more updated and complying the government as well as workplace rules and regulations. But in certain instances leader's encouragement made me behave unethically and behave in a arrogant manner, ignoring corruption, carrying out unethical work, enforcing criticisms and related works. But all I found that behind the leader's encouragement has a implied role it is obligation towards the leader, commitment for the agreement or the contract, fear of abused, fired or demoted. Leader's encouragment are much more influenced by excessive stress given to employees for unrealistic goals and objectives,no previous experience, leaders are not setting as an guide or a lamp for the followers, blind trust in the superior is also the reason behind the unethical situations.

Conflict of Interest means the person attitude towards 2 relationships but the thing is both the relationship are competing one. As a employee I have faced the autocratic behaviour of my boss and even improper wage discrimination towards other employees is being noticed. And other problem faced is leader is busy with his personal gain rather on firms goals.

Conflict of Interest that are faced in workplace are like autocratic behaviour, partiality of leaders at workplace that favour some and ignoring the others, concentrating on own interests rather on focusing on the organizations goals and objectives and just focusing on personal growth, dishonestly persuade to act in one's favour by offering money or other incentives, taking biased decisions, and disobeying standard norms of the organization.

There are many situations when we blindly follow the leaders advice without considering why to follow. As once when I was a working in a accounting firm where I was asked to use tax evasion means to evade the tax which in return is unethical and against the law of the government. But during that time I didn't ask why the same is to be done as I was a trainee, fear of being fired, autocratic nature of the boss any many more. But now I feel I could have reacted to that situation so that such things not happen again. Same in the case of Enron the traders never asked why and the company failed to do checks and provide proper reliable balances and the public deception continued.