Professionals don’t begin their careers intending to behave unethically. In fact, they can’t imagine being unethical in their practice. Yet, governing boards too frequently censure (or worse) their colleagues for unethical behavior. What happened?

I presented an ethics seminar last week to CPAs. It went very well (thanks for asking) and got high ratings (imagine that).  We examined several case studies of professionals who were found guilty of ethics violations.

Interestingly, they all had one key character trait as the root of their unethical behavior—lack of integrity. Integrity is defined as the integration of what you believe with what you do. That is, your values and your actions are aligned.

It always begins in small, insignificant ways. You give yourself a pass “just this once.” Then you find a way to justify to yourself what you did. You feel acquitted and move on…until the next time you are confronted with behavior unbecoming of a professional. Your justifications are reactivated, only more quickly this time. Before you know it, you’ve violated your values code again, only with less guilt.

Over time, the frequency and significance of your ethical breaks increase, but you have become adept at neutralizing their effects on your conscience…until you are found out. Then it all comes tumbling down around you and you see the person you have become. It’s an ugly end to a career that shouldn’t have been.

Professionals I know believe they have integrity, and so they do. But my concern lies in how little they spend protecting themselves. Their ability to fend off the pressures to give in isn’t developed enough to deal with the complexities of their practice.

Since the best way of protecting yourself is to live with consistency, you can reinforce your values by reading your code of ethics and your firm’s values statement.  These documents frame your mind to the right thinking to practice well. This will strengthen your ethical muscle and protect you from falling.

That alone will make it a great week.