This Week’s HRI “Lightbulb” – Slow Your Roll
Wouldn’t you have guessed it!? A new study published in the current edition of the Academy of Management Journal finds that when workers face a choice between right and wrong, they are five (5) times more likely to make the unethical choice when the decision is rushed. One test put 146 undergraduates in a fictitious situation in which they received more money for lying and less for being truthful. Some were given 30 seconds to make a decision; others, 3 minutes. Those who had the longer to think were more likely to make the moral choice, and be truthful. So, when in doubt? HRInsights says “take a deep breath, have a cup of de-caffeinated coffee, and consult an ethical colleague.” You may prevent a corporate scandal! (On a personal note, this technique also helps you respond more effectively to e-mails that “test your patience”).
