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Gratitude and Ethics in Business: Transforming Ethics with Eastern Medicine

Writer: Bill Carlson Bill Carlson

Updated: Jun 21, 2024

I am dedicated to transforming ethics in the workplace, gratitude plays a central role in promoting ethical behavior and fostering a culture of integrity and sustainability.

Preventative approach to ethics
Eastern medicine and the positive effects on gratitude and ethics

I strongly believe that incorporating principles inspired by Eastern medicine can have a transformative effect on how business is conducted. By leveraging the power of gratitude, and I aim to empower teams to make ethical decisions that benefit not only the bottom line but also the well-being of employees and the larger community.

Gratitude is a core principle in Eastern medicine, where it is believed to have a profound impact on both physical and mental health. By applying this principle to the business world, we are able to create a work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and appreciated. This, in turn, leads to a sense of loyalty and commitment among team members, ultimately driving productivity and success.

Moreover, gratitude can serve as a powerful antidote to unethical behavior in business. By cultivating a mindset of gratitude, employees are more likely to act with honesty, empathy, and compassion, even in the face of temptation or pressure to cut corners. This not only enhances the reputation of the company but also establishes a foundation of trust with clients, partners, and the wider community.

Incorporating Eastern medicine principles into business ethics is not about eschewing Western practices or disregarding established norms. Rather, it is about enriching existing frameworks with ancient wisdom that has stood the test of time. By blending the best of both worlds, I am able to offer a holistic approach to ethical decision-making that is both innovative and effective.

Ultimately, my goal is to inspire other businesses to adopt a similar mindset and embrace gratitude as a powerful tool for promoting ethical behavior. By doing so, we can create a business landscape that is not only profitable but also sustainable, empathetic, and ultimately, more fulfilling for all involved.

 
 
 

Comments


What the Professionals Are Saying 

"I teach a course on negotiations, during which I spend a good deal of time talking about honesty and ethics in negotiations. As an ethics researcher, I think it is important that students not only understand strategies for successfully claiming value in negotiations, but also learn about the temptations they will face to engage in unethical bargaining, and unethical behavior more broadly in their professional careers. Bill brought this message to life. Bill explained to my students – with openness, authenticity, and scientific insight – the ethical missteps he took in his career. I am incredibly grateful to have had Bill in my class – I learned from him just as much as my students did. I think he would be a welcome, and much needed, addition to any course related to ethics, well-being, power and influence, or negotiations (and likely many more!)."   

                                                                        Professor Emma Levine/ University of Chicago Booth School of Business 

“Bill Carlson has a reservoir of experience that will resonate with college students and professionals from all walks of life. Seldom do you encounter an individual willing to openly share his foibles and mistakes in an attempt to deviate the life paths of those mutually-inclined to make the same errors. Bill lays his life bare in his presentation and shares the detrimental impact his decision-making had on his personal and professional life; yet he lays the foundation for an inroad to a better future built upon his gratitude for life, learning from his mistakes, and pursuit of his new definition of “life wholeness”.  

                                                                         Dr. William C. McCoy, Director/Rutland Institute for Ethics

                                                                         Visiting Professor, College of Education/Clemson University 

"For over 30 years, I have been teaching full- and part-time. For the past eleven years I have been a member of the accounting faculty at Fordham University. This semester, Fall 2021, Mr. Carlson agreed to speak with my students about his story, and I can say that I have had few guest speakers who delivered such a powerful message about the importance of professional obligations. It was the story of a seemingly nice guy who exhibited a lack of judgment and would pay a heavy price for it. Most importantly, it is a story of a man who reflected upon his moral lapse and has made a solid commitment to helping others."              

                                                                                       Timothy P. Hedley, Ph.D., CPA, CFF, CFE

                                                                            Retired Global Leader of Fraud Risk Management Services, KPMG LLP

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