"Sins" of Omission
by Vic Wiens
When we speak of ethics, we really don't like to use words like "sin" anymore in our culture. On the other hand, we have not really replaced that word in our ethical vocabulary. Sin is a word to describe missing the ethical mark.
Given my vintage, I grew up in an era when words like sin were part of the general culture. In fact, it was from a public school teacher that I first remember hearing the expression “Be sure your sins will find you out." In other words, I probably did not meet her behaviour expectations!
Later in life I took the time to find the source of that expression. To my surprise I discovered that it referred not so much to being caught doing a bad thing as being caught not doing the good thing. Does your ethical standard include the good things that you and others ought to do?
This has major implications for the social goals we should be setting in businesses instead of being satisfied with setting only financial goals. Take a few minutes to look at Covey's revision of the Hedgehog Concept below, but replace the word "conscience" in your mind with "the things we should and should not do."
Social goals in non-profit organizations sometimes arise out of these ethical "should's", although they may also arise out of passions. For example, a music program usually originates from a passion, while feeding the hungry likely originates from a moral obligation. Moral obligation fits in the "conscience" circle rather than the "passion" circle.
Social goals that arise out of conscience will be pursued with greater conviction than those arising out of passion. For example, if your business is developing a product to help blind people, there will likely be greater determination that arises out of a conviction to help the consumers. When this conviction combines with passion and economic opportunity the motivation level can be very high.
The point of this article, then, is to encourage both businesses and non-profit organizations to develop both sides of the ethical equation. Make sure that you place equal emphasis on developing moral convictions about what should be done as on what should not be done. True greatness includes doing what should be done.
