Office Politics and Why Honesty is Important: Honesty and Office Politics

Honesty, morality and integrity are vital with respect to the success of office politics in the business world. In fact, honesty is essential to the survival and success of any business company or organization.  

What is honesty?

Dictionary.com suggests that the word honesty refers to “the quality or fact of being honest, uprightness and fairness”, as well as “truthfulness, sincerity and frankness” resulting in the “freedom from deceit or fraud”.

As an entrepreneur or potential new business owner, consider the following reasons why honesty is important to your business, whether it is a local family business, national company or an inter-international conglomerate. Ultimately, the reputation of your business on any scale, large or small, is at stake.

Honesty begins with the individual, entrepreneurial business owner and his or her family. (Be aware that family members will walk away from family businesses that are less than honest in principles and practices.) The immediate business family where office politics are central, soon gains a reputation in the local community. The reputation grows and ideally, a good reputation starts at the beginning and continues throughout the course of the business.  

Ethical business principles and practice entail making moral choices, or choosing between right and wrong in the decision making process, on every level.

Professional business plans based upon ethical decision processes increase the likelihood of acceptance with other home-based businesses. Other kinds of businesses or organizations will respond in a positive manner on an expanding global platform.        

Are other entrepreneurs or other businesses interested in any kind of involvement with non-ethical office politics on any level, knowing that their own reputations may be tarnished?  It is not likely. Their own business credibility may be lost or subject to scrutiny and questioning, because of association with anyone engaged in fraudulent principles or practices. Unfortunately, fraud, deception and lack of ethical and moral standards with respect to principles and practices taint office politics all around the world.  

At the same time, governments on every level, have the responsibility for the integrity and honesty of home-based businesses, other business and organizations on a global plane. Enforcement of moral, ethical and legal standards, principles and practices lead to positive change. Strong motivational action brings about transition for the better in a positive and constructive direction. At times, it may take a protest of the masses to expose political dishonesty in office settings.

Entrepreneurs and others who are just starting out in new businesses, need to be alert to the importance of honesty in their own business transactions. At times, it may seem like there is a fine line between being honest or dishonest in office politics, but choosing the higher pathway of honesty is the best policy. Establishing and maintaining morally sound principles and practices, right from the beginning and adhering to them, may mean struggling at first, but dishonest office politics can prove fatal to any business. Dishonest shortcuts may appear beneficial, but can lead to disastrous consequences.

When in doubt about the question of honesty in office politics with respect to your new business, it is generally advisable to seek professional guidance from financial advisers, lawyers or accountants. Be aware that there are legal decisions made that are not morally or ethically sound in terms of principles and practice in business. When in doubt about your own office politics, seek a second opinion, as the short and long term consequences of honesty far outweigh the benefits of being dishonest.