"Would you rather be Vice President, or right?"

The above statement was made to me by a senior executive at a former employer. Needless to say, since I was told this by another CEO at the same company a few years earlier, I did not believe the statement. And I was right!

Ethics in the workplace is more rare today than in the past 30 years. Once, you were told where you stood regarding one's performance in the workplace. Now, that tends to be more 'behind the back' comment. Seeing managers, supervisors, and worse, the people of the company that should be leading by example, the executives, lie to employees or worse, never tell them what they can do to improve their work performance.

What about saving the company money? Employees at one employer I once worked for, suggested to senior execs about how we should book company travel flights online, instead of going through a travel agency. What most of those employees were not aware, the travel agency the company used for all company flights, was operated by a relative of a former President of the company. Instead of saving the company thousands of dollars a year (and saving the employee taxes for spousal travel), the employer ignores the suggestion. The former President has been retired for years, but they continue to book flights via agency and pay the associated fees. But, ah, at least the relative of the former President is making money...and a lot based on the number of travel assignments that go on at the company.

Is this ethical? You decide.