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Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What’s Right and What to Do about It
208 pages, 2012
business & management
1082 booksIn Blind Spots, leading business ethicists Max Bazerman and Ann Tenbrunsel examine how we overestimate our ability to do what is right and how we act unethically without meaning to. From the collapse of Enron and corruption in the tobacco industry to sales of the defective Ford Pinto, the downfall of Bernard Madoff, and the Challenger space shuttle disaster, the authors investigate ethical failures in the business world and beyond.
This compelling book illustrates how we can become more ethical by bridging the gap between who we are and who we want to be.
In their groundbreaking book, the authors explain how traditional approaches to ethics don't work. They demonstrate how ethical standards shift, how we neglect to notice and act on the unethical behavior of others, and how compliance initiatives can actually promote unethical behavior.
The authors argue that scandals will continue to emerge unless such approaches consider the psychology of individuals faced with ethical dilemmas. Distinguishing our “should self” (the person who knows what is correct) from our “want self” (the person who ends up making decisions), they point out ethical sinkholes that create questionable actions.
In Blind Spots, Max H. Bazerman explains that we often fail to act ethically, not because we're bad people, but because we have blind spots that prevent us from seeing the ethical implications of our actions. It's like driving a car - sometimes we just don't see what's in our blind spot, and that can lead to problems.
Bazerman digs into the role of cognitive biases in our decision-making process. He explains that these biases often lead us to make unethical decisions without even realizing it. It's not that we're trying to be bad, it's just that our brains are wired in a way that sometimes leads us astray.
One of the key points in Blind Spots is the importance of ethical awareness. Bazerman suggests that by being aware of our ethical blind spots, we can work to overcome them and make better decisions. It's like turning on the headlights in a car - suddenly, you can see things that were hidden in the dark.
Bazerman doesn't just explore the problem, he also offers practical solutions. He provides strategies for recognizing and overcoming our ethical blind spots. So, if you're looking for ways to improve your decision-making and act more ethically, this book is a great place to start.
Finally, Bazerman takes a look at the impact of ethical blind spots on society. He shows how these blind spots can lead to major problems, like corporate scandals and environmental disasters. But by recognizing and addressing our blind spots, we can help to prevent these issues and create a better world.