Thank you so much for your comment. I think personally I found her referring to it as a “game” to be the biggest problem. It’s one thing to know that people do lie. It seems another thing to me totally that it’s being recommended in college.

I personally love being in my own business also for this reason. No one can push you into breaking your ethics. When I run into a client I see that’s being unethical, I can easily “fire” them.

Terry

At first I found it really disturbing. As a former HR professional myself, I can’t imagine promoting fraud. I was in the situation of assisting a department head in firing an employee who lied about his degree, back in the day.

But then it occurred to me that this is just the next step. Companies are constantly spinning official policy statements and requiring staff to stick to the script. Risk managment requires neutrality, which in turn inhibits honesty and candor.

And this is one of the reasons I chose to leave a corporate employer of almost 20 years… When I look at myself in the mirror, I can see past the Professional Presence and still respect myself.

Offering value to your customers, clients and readers is so much more natural if you are based on a foundation of truth.

Thanks for posting…I agree that it’s human nature to exagerrate. And you have to really concentrate on it to avoid it (or get in the habit of apologizing whenever you do it which definitely helps clear it up).

The problem is that many people have made it a lifestyle. They think nothing of it. I think it’s sad really. It seems most people use the excuse “everybody is doing it…”

It reminds me of my mother’s response to that, “Well if everybody was jumping off the bridge, would you do it?”

If you have to become fake to get the job, get the girl (or guy), or get what you want…you’re now no longer free to be yourself. How in the world can anyone be happy in that situation?

I believe everyone lies and exaggerates at times, it’s human nature. But adopting that as a lifestyle is another thing even though it’s obviously becoming more commonplace these days.

The truth is, a lot of people have become jaded these days. They see everything as false and corrupt. So… they just “do what everyone else does.”

The problem with premeditated lying is… one lie often leads to another… which leads to another, and so on. Life is short to go through covering up one deception after another.

And even though it may be possible to lie your way to the top… I doubt that there would be much fulfillment in it once you got there.

The main point the professor gave seems to be – “don’t get caught.” I have to say, though… life has enough challenges and pressures without adding a nice-sized helping of “don’t get caught” on top of everything else.

I’m sure others feel the same. Especially the ones who “got caught.”