Obedience to Authority | Concepts Unwrapped

Summary

The video script explores the impact of authority on ethical decision-making. It highlights how individuals often defer to authority figures, such as bosses, potentially leading to unethical actions to gain approval. Examples from various professions illustrate this tendency, including CFOs managing earnings to please CEOs and nurses following questionable medical instructions. The script emphasizes the importance of maintaining one's ethical standards, even in the face of pressure from superiors, and the consequences of failing to do so, as seen in the case of Egil 'Bud' Krogh's involvement in the Watergate scandal. It concludes with the advice to listen to one's inner voice and the need for an environment that encourages ethical behavior.

Takeaways

• 🧩 The script discusses the natural human tendency to please authority figures from childhood to adulthood, which can lead to ethical compromises.
• 🤔 It highlights that people often prioritize the acceptability of decisions to their superiors over the decisions' content, potentially leading to unethical behavior.
• 💼 The script provides an example where CFOs are more likely to engage in unethical practices to please their CEOs rather than for personal gain.
• 🏪 A personal account from Dana at CVS Pharmacy illustrates how managers can instruct employees to act unethically for the store's benefit, such as hiding sales to prevent losses.
• ☕ James recounts a situation where he was told to substitute a product to deceive customers, showing the pressure to comply with authority even when it's wrong.
• 📈 The transcript mentions stock analysts succumbing to pressure to hype stocks for their firms' benefit, despite their personal reservations.
• 🤝 Lauren describes how the desire to please authority can lead to overcommitting to work at the expense of personal needs and other commitments.
• 👩‍⚕️ A study by Hofling and Brotzman is cited, showing that nurses were more likely to follow a physician's unethical orders than they initially thought they would.
• 🔑 Egil 'Bud' Krogh's story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing pleasing superiors over one's own ethical judgment.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Charity shares a personal story of standing up to authority by refusing to lie about her sexual orientation, emphasizing the importance of being truthful.
• 🔊 Taylor emphasizes the importance of listening to one's inner voice and speaking up in an environment where one is treated as an equal, to maintain ethical standards.

Q & A

What is the primary concern of people in organizations when making decisions according to the script?

People in organizations are often more concerned about the acceptability of the decision to their superiors than the content of the decision itself.

Why are CFOs more likely to manage earnings illicitly when it profits their CEOs rather than themselves?

CFOs act unethically primarily to please their bosses, indicating a tendency to prioritize pleasing authority figures over personal financial gain.

What ethical dilemma did Dana face while working at CVS Pharmacy?

Dana faced a dilemma when instructed by her manager to lie about being sold out of items to prevent customers from using manufacturer's coupons, which technically was right but harmed the store.

What was the unethical action James was asked to take by his manager at the coffee shop?

James was asked to give customers light coffee instead of bold coffee when they ran out of the latter, even though it was not what the customers wanted or paid for.

What did stock analysts wish they could do during the dot.com boom according to their private emails?

Stock analysts wished they had the courage to stand up to their superiors and honestly 'call them as they saw them' instead of succumbing to pressure to hype questionable stocks.

How does Lauren describe her tendency to please authority figures like her boss?

Lauren describes a tendency to commit to tasks without considering other obligations or her own needs, such as agreeing to stay late at work to please her boss.

What did the study by Hofling and Brotzman reveal about nurses' willingness to follow a physician's instructions?

The study showed that while most nurses said they wouldn't follow instructions to give a patient an obviously excessive drug dose, almost all were prepared to do so when actually given the instructions.

Why did Egil 'Bud' Krogh oversee a break-in at the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist?

Krogh was so intent on pleasing his superiors, who were among the most powerful people in the world, that he didn't activate his own ethical sense to judge the morality of the action.

What lesson does the script suggest we should learn from Bud Krogh's experience?

The script suggests that we should never defer so completely to our bosses that we substitute their orders for our own ethical standards, and always be vigilant for ethical issues.

What personal challenge did Charity face when asked by her mother to discuss her homosexuality with her pastor?

Charity faced the challenge of standing up for her own identity and beliefs by refusing to lie about her homosexuality and choosing to be truthful despite knowing it would upset her family.

According to Taylor, what is key to being able to speak up against unethical actions?

Taylor believes that listening to one's inner voice is key, and that an environment where one is treated as an equal on a personal level can help facilitate speaking up against unethical actions.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Ethical Dilemma of Obedience to Authority

This paragraph delves into the complexities of obedience to authority figures and the ethical dilemmas that arise from it. It starts with Professor Robert Prentice discussing the natural human tendency to seek approval from parents, teachers, and bosses, which can lead to overlooking personal ethical standards. The script highlights studies showing CFOs are more likely to engage in unethical practices to please CEOs rather than for personal gain. Personal anecdotes from Dana and James illustrate how employees may act unethically under orders, such as lying about stock availability or substituting products to meet sales targets. The paragraph also references stock analysts succumbing to pressure to promote dubious stocks for their firms' benefit. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing our propensity to defer to authority and the necessity to maintain our ethical judgment, using the case of Egil 'Bud' Krogh's involvement in the Watergate scandal as a cautionary tale. The paragraph concludes with a warning about the dangers of prioritizing pleasing superiors over ethical considerations.

05:01

🏳️‍🌈 Prioritizing Truth and Personal Values Over External Pressure

The second paragraph explores the theme of personal integrity and the courage to stand up for one's beliefs in the face of societal or familial pressure. Charity shares her experience of being gay and the challenge of explaining her sexual orientation to her mother and pastor, choosing to be truthful despite potential backlash. Taylor emphasizes the importance of listening to one's inner voice and the need for an environment where one feels equal and respected to speak up against unethical actions. The paragraph underscores the significant consequences of unethical behavior, such as the potential to destroy a person's life work or reputation. It concludes with an encouragement to consider the long-term implications of unethical actions and to prioritize personal values and truth-telling, even when faced with authority or societal expectations.

Keywords

💡Ethical standards

Ethical standards refer to the principles or rules that guide behavior in a way that is considered right and justifiable. In the video's context, ethical standards are the moral compass that individuals should follow, even when faced with authority figures. An example from the script is when CFOs manage earnings illicitly to please their CEOs, which goes against ethical standards.

💡Obedience to authority

Obedience to authority is the act of complying with or following the orders or requests of those in positions of power. The video discusses how this obedience can sometimes lead to unethical behavior if it causes individuals to ignore their own ethical standards. For instance, Dana was told by her manager to lie about being sold out of items to prevent customers from using coupons.

💡Unethical behavior

Unethical behavior encompasses actions that violate moral principles or professional codes of conduct. The video highlights various scenarios where individuals engage in unethical behavior to please their superiors. An example is when James was instructed by his manager to give a customer light coffee instead of bold, which was not what the customer wanted or paid for.

💡Sales and coupons

Sales and coupons are marketing strategies used to increase sales volume by offering discounts or special deals to customers. In the script, the use of manufacturer's coupons during sales leads to customers getting more money back than they paid, which is technically allowed but harms the store's profits, illustrating a conflict between customer benefit and store policy.

💡Stock analysts

Stock analysts are professionals who evaluate stocks and provide recommendations based on their analysis. The video mentions that during the dot.com boom, some analysts wished they could stand up to their superiors and provide honest assessments of stocks, but instead, they succumbed to pressure and hyped questionable stocks, which is a form of unethical behavior.

💡Ethical judgment

Ethical judgment is the ability to discern right from wrong and make decisions based on ethical considerations. The video emphasizes that the desire to please superiors can cloud one's ethical judgment. Lauren's example illustrates how the need to please a boss can lead to committing to extra work without considering personal needs or previous commitments.

💡Nurses and physicians

Nurses and physicians are healthcare professionals who work together to provide patient care. The script references a study where nurses were instructed by a physician to administer an obviously excessive drug dose, highlighting the conflict between following medical hierarchy and adhering to ethical patient care.

💡Deference to authority

Deference to authority is the act of yielding to or respecting the decisions of those in authority. The video warns against deferring too completely to authority figures, as it can lead to overlooking ethical issues. Egil 'Bud' Krogh's story serves as a cautionary tale of how deference to authority can result in unethical actions.

💡Ethical sense

Ethical sense is an individual's innate ability to recognize and act according to ethical principles. The video discusses how intense focus on pleasing superiors can suppress one's ethical sense, as seen in Bud Krogh's case where he failed to judge the morality of his actions until it was too late.

💡Inner voice

Inner voice refers to one's intuition or conscience, guiding actions and decisions. Taylor emphasizes the importance of listening to this inner voice as a key to ethical behavior. It suggests that an environment where one is treated as an equal can facilitate speaking up against unethical practices.

💡Consequences of unethical actions

Consequences of unethical actions are the outcomes or repercussions that result from engaging in immoral or dishonest behavior. The video script highlights the significant impact that unethical actions can have, such as destroying a program or a person's life work, underscoring the importance of ethical decision-making.

Highlights

People naturally wish to please authority figures from a young age, which can persist into adulthood.

Obedience to authority can lead to ignoring one's own ethical standards and causing significant trouble.

Decision-makers often prioritize the acceptability of decisions to superiors over the decisions' content.

CFOs are more likely to manage earnings illicitly to please CEOs than for personal profit.

Dana recounts a story of being instructed to lie about stock to please the manager, despite it being technically correct.

James describes a situation where he was told to substitute a product to deceive customers to meet a manager's demand.

Stock analysts often felt pressured to hype stocks against their better judgement to please superiors.

The desire to please superiors can cloud ethical judgement and lead to unethical actions.

Lauren discusses the tendency to overcommit to authority figures, neglecting personal needs and commitments.

A study by Hofling and Brotzman showed nurses' willingness to follow orders, even when they were unethical.

Employees may not notice the ethical implications of decisions when focused on pleasing superiors.

Egil 'Bud' Krogh's story illustrates the dangers of deferring completely to superiors without considering ethics.

Krogh's experience serves as a warning about the importance of maintaining personal ethical standards.

Charity shares a personal story of choosing honesty over pleasing her mother and pastor about her sexuality.

Taylor emphasizes the importance of listening to one's inner voice and being treated as an equal to speak up ethically.

Recognizing the severe consequences of unethical actions is crucial for maintaining integrity.

Transcripts

[Professor Robert Prentice] When we are young, we naturally wish to please our parents,

our teachers, our ministers and rabbis.

Even as adults, we wish to please authority figures, such as our boss at work.

However, if obedience to authority causes us to ignore our own ethical standards,

big trouble can result.

When people in organizations make decisions, they are often much more concerned about the

acceptability of the decision to the people to whom they are accountable than they are

about the content of the decision itself.

Studies show that CFOs are more likely to illicitly manage earnings when it profits

their CEOs than when it profits themselves.

In other words, they act unethically primarily to please their bosses, not to put money in

their own pockets.

[Dana] I worked at CVS Pharmacy and every week we would have different sales, and a

lot of times regular customers… they would find these sales and use manufacturer's coupons.

So basically they were getting more money back than they were paying.

And even though it was technically right, it was harming our store, so my manager didn’t

like that.

My manager just told me to say that we were sold out of them so that the customer couldn’t

buy any more.

I kind of just did it because it was something small and my boss told me to.

[James] There was a time when we ran out of some really bold coffee and my manger was

like, "just give him the light one.

Like, they’re not going to know, coffee is coffee."

I kind of felt bad because it wasn’t what they wanted and it wasn’t what they were

paying for but I was like, "Okay well if the manager says yes then...

Here’s the bold coffee!"

Private e-mails sent by stock analysts during the dot.com boom often indicated that the

analysts wished they had the courage to stand up to their superiors and "call them like

they saw them."

But usually these analysts failed to do so.

Instead, they continued to knuckle under to supervisory pressure to hype questionable

stocks so that their firms could gain investment banking business.

Most of us simply do not realize how much our desire to please superiors and our consequent

tendency to defer to authority will cloud our ethical judgement when the time comes

to make decisions.

[Lauren] If it’s an authority figure, like a boss, that you really like or you really

need to like you that...

I have a tendency to commit to something without thinking about what else I have.

So if a boss asks me to stay late, I may say, “Yes, of course I can because I want to

do this project right.

I want to make sure you like it, it’s ready when you want it to be” without thinking

about previous engagements I’ve made to other people and disappointing other people

in my life or attending to my own needs, which can kind of conflict with what I actually

need to do outside of my job.

A study of nurses by Hofling and Brotzman found that when members of one group of nurses

were asked whether they would follow a physician's instructions to give a patient an injection

of an obviously excessive dose of a drug that was not even on the hospital's approved list,

almost all the nurses said that they would not do so.

But when a second group of nurses were actually given such instructions, virtually every one

of them was prepared to do so before they were stopped by the experimenters.

More concerning than people consciously acting unethically in order to stay in their boss's

good graces is the fact that sometimes employees are so intent upon pleasing their superiors

that they do not even notice the ethical aspects of a decision.

Egil "Bud" Krogh, who became infamous as head of the "Plumbers Unit" operating out of President

Nixon's White House, was instructed to oversee a break-in at the office of the psychiatrist

of Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times, embarrassing

the Nixon Administration.

Krogh later explained that he was so intent upon pleasing his superiors who were, after

all, among the most powerful people in the world, that he never even activated his own

ethical sense to judge the morality of what he was trying to accomplish.

He did not see the ethical dimensions of his situation until it was too late.

Bud Krogh's experience should be a warning to us all.

While it is usually a fine thing for us to please our supervisors, we must keep a lookout

for ethical issues and we must never defer so completely to our bosses that we substitute

their orders for our own ethical standards.

[Charity] I'm homosexual, I'm gay, and my mom asked me when I was younger, to go and,

I don’t know, talk to my pastor about it... basically to see what was wrong with me.

After a while I told her, “I personally am not okay with this because

I’m not hurting anyone.”

Knowing they were going to be angry about it instead of just lying about it -- that was hard.

But in the long run I think it helped me out because it helped me be a prouder person and

it did help me come to the point to where it feels good to be truthful.

[Taylor] I think just listening to that inner voice is key.

The sort of environment that would help me be able to speak up is one where you're

treated as an equal, at least on a personal level.

Remember that there’s really big consequences to acting unethically sometimes and just one

time can make… can destroy a program, can destroy a person and what they’ve worked

for their entire life.

I think if you keep those ideas in mind, it’ll be easier for you to say,

“That’s not ethical and I’m not going to do that.”