Question

Expertise doesn't transfer automatically from one field to another: Being an expert in one area does not automatically qualify a person as an expert (or even as competent) in other areas. Is it the same with dishonesty? Many people think dishonesty does transfer, that being dishonest in one area automatically discredits that person in all areas. For example, when Bill Clinton lied about having sexual encounters with his intern, some said he couldn't be trusted about anything.

Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:

If someone is known to have been dishonest about one thing, should we automatically be suspicious of his or her honesty regarding other things?

Answer 1

Here, one person could have strong expertise in business statistics, operations management, project management, however, considering such expertise in the specific field area, we can’t transfer his/her expertise in other area like computer programming, retail and ecommerce management. However, when we talk about dishonesty, integrity, all that are part of ethics, ethics are to be followed in all major part of life as to get positive and sustainable consequences. If one person is dishonest in his personal life, that means that person has violated ethical code of conduct in their personal life, again, based on knowing such event, we may not place stereotyping thinking, but every person should play their honesty in all possible areas, as it could bring various negative consequences like other people could lose trust on me, we could lose important connection or networking.

We should not be suspicious of his dishonesty as he had been found dishonest in another area, as, we should not keep any blind assumption or build stereotyping that the person will be dishonest in all area, however, we must keep observation as to take relief from any negative consequences. Some dishonest behavior could come due to situational influences, so, that person was bound to put his dishonesty as to save from one incident, however, all person should understand the values behind maintaining ethics and they should play such ethical role in all applicable areas.