How to get ahead: Lie and cheat?

A few weeks back, while browsing my favorite blogs, I noticed a value adding post by David Maister entitled “How to Get Ahead: Lie and Cheat?“. I threw my 2 cents and shared the result of a study on CEO Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Corporate Misconduct.

In our competitive society, winning and getting ahead became the most important achievement, setting aside corporate ethics, fair play and character/principles based success.

Last year, I also discussed a similar topic. When I wrote Integrity: Should It Matter?, I have in mind the “When executives misbehave” article of Lala Rimuando and Tina Arceo-Dumlao’s “Company execs also guilty of graft, says polls”.

In almost every silos of our society, lie and cheat has become the operative keyword to grab opportunity, if not outrightly taking advantage of person, group or situation. This is done normally to win a contract, close a deal, gain more money, get a promotion, win an election and so on and so forth–lie and cheat to get ahead, lie and cheat to win, lie and cheat to escape trouble. A misconduct seems to have transformed to a winning tool.

Do we want this to thrive and pass this culture to the next generation?

Don’t be upset because of evil people. Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong, Psalms 37:1

The issues we are facing now were similar issues the good guys faced during ancient times. Those who may have compromised for personal gain appears to be getting ahead and the good guys were left. Even one of the great leaders expressed his frustration of the apparent success of those who have lied and cheated.

2 But I had almost stopped believing; I had almost lost my faith
3 because I was jealous of proud people. I saw wicked people doing well.
4 They are not suffering; they are healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like the rest of us; they don’t have problems like other people.
6 They wear pride like a necklace and put on violence as their clothing.
7 They are looking for profits and do not control their selfish desires.
8 They make fun of others and speak evil; proudly they speak of hurting others.
9 They brag to the sky. They say that they own the earth.
10 So their people turn to them and give them whatever they want.
11 They say, “How can God know?
12 These people are wicked, always at ease, and getting richer.
13 So why have I kept my heart pure? Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?
14 I have suffered all day long; I have been punished every morning.
15 God, if I had decided to talk like this, I would have let your people down.

Psalms 73:2-15

In the middle of all of this, how do we respond?

1 Don’t be upset because of evil people. Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong,
2 because like the grass, they will soon dry up. Like green plants, they will soon die away.
3 Trust the Lord and do good. Live in the land and feed on truth.

Psalms 37:1-3

Because the imperfection of the earthly justice system and the assumption that the principles instituted by the Creator is slow to react, people think they can continue with their ways unhampered, in the process influencing other people. But the answer to the assumed passiveness of the Creator is explained here:

He has been very kind and patient, waiting for you to change, but you think nothing of his kindness. Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so you will change your hearts and lives. Romans 2:4

Eventually, people will receive the proper wages for the decisions and actions they made.

20 Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street; she raises her voice in the city squares.
21 She cries out in the noisy street and shouts at the city gates:
23 If only you had listened when I corrected you, I would have told you what’s in my heart; I would have told you what I am thinking.
24 I called, but you refused to listen; I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25 You did not follow my advice and did not listen when I corrected you.
31 So you will get what you deserve; you will get what you planned for others.
32 Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care.
33 But those who listen to me will live in safety and be at peace, without fear of injury.”  Proverbs 1:20-25, 31-33

The enormous challenge is in our hands. But In my opinion, it’s better to start with the next generation of would be leaders to alter the culture of cheating.

Run after the corrupt who are still holding office, and please, do not vote them come election season.

In your opinion, what else can be done to reverse the culture of cheating?