‘The devil made me do it’ and other unethical behavior rationalizations

Growing up, we all tried at some point or another to squirm our way out of being accountable for something we shouldn’t have done or said. (I admit to throwing my little brother under the bus a couple of times, but my parents were wise to that approach.) We spun the facts or rationalized our action to avoid punitive measures; in short, we wanted to preserve our standing in the family unit and stay in Mom and Dad’s good graces. But alas, many of us suffered some parental wrath as a consequence for our behavior — and the fictitious tales we told to rationalize it. Our parents knew something we kids didn’t fully appreciate: Rationalization allows us to wander further away on the far side of truth. As adults gaining experience in our respective professions, we learn about compliance and ethics, but we also add to our repertoire of rationalizations.

Rationalizations and entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship encourages founders to be persistent evangelists and wheeler-dealers for their fledgling enterprises. They have a lot to lose and must continually be on their “game” to woo venture capitalists, entice employees from other companies to come work for them, and win over skeptical market analysts. However, such a system conceals the treacherous waters that lure all who enter.