Big Fat Liar! a lot of people hate people like this that lie all the time and there's no sincerity to find. However, we all do lie depending on the circumstances we face. If they are white lies, the consequences may be minor, but may cause serious damages if otherwise; whatever types they are, the listeners definitely lose the trust they have to some degree. BBC Capital "When corporate cultures breed dishonesty" published details concerning this matter.
In personal life, white lies may be acceptable, but everybody may agree they prefer to avoid and seek the truth. I remember in part of Lady Gaga's hit music video, Telephone, she said "Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broke, but you can still see the crack in that reflection.", and I couldn't agree more on that. I think this applies well with a relationship, trust is one of the essential parts that keeps a couple together. If one lies and another finds out, the significant other that is lied to will considerably lose faith and trust he/she has. Similarly, friends shouldn't lie to each other or mistrust occurs. Parents lie to their children, on the other hand, is somewhat different and more forgivable. For instance, when a child loses a tooth, parents can tell him about tooth fairies to relieve his pain and fear. If otherwise, he may be in panic partly due to pain, and partly due to the amount of blood that he sees. Professional life, however, has different perspectives.
When considering a company's data, the situation is reverse as data leakage can cause the company disastrous consequences. If an insider slips some of the company's restricted details, or a manager shares highly restricted information to all employees, it's good that they are being truthful, however, if the competitors happen to know, the company can lose its deals or can be in financial trouble. I worked for a foreign bank and the code of conducts is really strict that if anyone breaks any of this, we will have high possibility to get fired. Some data is significant and really need to be concealed if that person doesn't involve. For instance, the company is bidding for an important deal, and the pricing leaks out to the competitor, the company is definitely in trouble. However, I really agree with Eric Barton that managers have to be truthful or they lose their subordinates' trust. Not that they have to tell everything but need to deliver the truth. One time during my performance review, I was surprised that my boss told me about how each department got its bonus budgets and how they were distributed. I didn't need to know this, but he told me anyway, so I felt that he was being extremely truthful and transparent, and I was excited to know another level of information, not that I would spread all the details, but at least he was being honest to me, and I could be honest with him too and could elevate problems other relevant details that he needed to know.
When it comes to layoffs, managers need to tell their subordinates to get prepared because these people need to know the information so that they can manage to look for their new jobs properly. Another actual circumstance that I faced was the historical layoffs of the company due to financial loss. More than 400 people was laid off and managers didn't tell them at all. Rumor spread throughout the bank but no announcement from the management team was made until the date was really close. A lot of people were completely shocked to know that. It's been 2 years since the big layoffs, some can't find their jobs yet. My department was on the list, but fortunately for me, I was rotated to another department before this happened. What I saw and heard from my ex-colleagues was terrible. Some elder colleagues didn't get jobs elsewhere because of their age. Some found the new work organizations that the bank prepared for utterly hierachical and new colleagues less reasonable than the former and finally resigned. Another extreme layoff is my friend's company - an American IT company. If the layoff announcement is made in the morning, people on the list need to pack their stuff, return access cards, and do other relevant things within that afternoon. I understand that the company may be aware of data leakage, but morally this is too extreme. Thus, if it comes to layoffs, managers have their obligations to inform employees because it's their right to know their status and they can cope with the problems in time. Companies may be aware of chaos it may occur, but keeping secret until the last day of employment is not morally right.
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I like the examples that PP uses to both clarify and support her ideas in the response paragraphs, especially her highly relevant personal experience.
ReplyDeleteAre lies about the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and so on OK? I'm not sure that I agree that they are. I am sure that parents who tell such lies to children do so good intentions, but I think the parents might be wrong. They are still lies, and when the children learn that their parents are liars, whatever the reason, I can't see how that will help trust. I also worry that it teaches bad intellectual habits: that it's OK to belief things not because there is solid evidence, but simply because it's comforting, or, much worse, because someone says so, and this leads later to all sorts of irrational beliefs in gods, heavens, hells, souls, life after death, and the like, which all interfere with a well-founded understanding of the world we live in, including it's moral aspects.
I definitely agree with PP that morality is important, and that it is also something where statements can be true or false, truthful or lying. There is no tooth fairy any more than there are souls, and neither story should be present to innocent children as true - at least not until there is solid evidence to support such a claim. Is there any solid evidence that the tooth fairy actually exists? The last time I checked, the evidence was as solid for the tooth fairy as it is solid for gods, devils, ghosts, souls, heavens and hells.
A most stimulating morning coffee I'm having, thanks to PP.
I really agree on your idea that those lies and no solid evidence will eventually lead to irrationality. I also agree that we can't just tell that something is true unless there is solid evidence. I may not clarify my point enough. I think parents shouldn't lie to children when they are at their ages to perceive such rational information. A 4-year-old child, for example, is extremely difficult to explain and he knows very limited vocabulary, so parents may seek a simple and easy explanation. Later when the child can perceive more complicated information, parents should guide him how to think systematically and rationally.
DeleteI think,telling a lie is necessary in some circumstances, so this is what I meant to a white lie. Sometime parents don't have another choice or they exactly do not know how to say the truth,for example,someone in family has gone. However, it is better to tell the truth or say nothing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it depends on circumstances that sometimes we have no choice, which happens to a lot of parents that they can't express their ideas exactly and directly to their kids.
DeleteI agree that it is important for the company and their employer to be truthful to each other. Also, if there is any problem, they should have a talk directly to the person involve not behind the back. This will create a good working environment to everyone. I used to have a irresponsible colleague and her boss deal with her by putting a note, a really big one, on her computer about her irresponsible problem. I feel really bad for my colleague, even I don't like how she work. I think the boss should not do that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that managers should talk directly with your colleague. It's more straightforward and it makes her understand all the details better. I think Thai culture that we wouldn't say or tell negative things directly to other people makes it worse. Direct communication should be applied here.
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