The Cost of Compromise: What True Ethical Leadership Demands

You don’t ascend by avoiding ethics. You rise by embracing them.

There's a reason Lady Justice wears a blindfold -- and it's not just to look statuesque outside of a courthouse.

This physical representation of ethical behavior is the modern face of Dike, the Greek goddess of justice. She wears a blindfold because she cannot see the circumstances surrounding violations of her will. Dike doesn't care about your excuses, your pressure-packed schedule, or your clever justifications for cutting corners.

But, blindfolds notwithstanding, if you're leading others while telling yourself that your ethics are flexible --contextual, even -- she can see right through you.

So let's get honest.

Do circumstances dictate your own ethical actions?

Are your choices tipping the balance?

You may, for instance, see yourself as polite, excusing yourself when you bump into someone on the street. But what if you're late to an appointment? What if the person was dawdling in your way when you needed to race to the bathroom? What if you're rushing your child to the emergency room?

What's the threshold for justifying your behavior then?

That may seem minor, but it's a microcosm of how we behave. The macro picture is where Dike steps in.

According to Greek myth, Zeus, king of the gods, and Themis, the goddess of divine law, had a daughter: Dike, who personified justice. She lived among mortals -- until she saw what we really were.

Disgusted by humanity's ethical decisions, so often motivated by greed, Dike left the earth forever. She returned to Olympus, where she now sits beside Zeus, watching ... and waiting. And when the balance of justice tips too far, she brings correction.

If we as leaders forget what Dike symbolizes, we become the reason she returns.

You call it a rationalization. Dike calls it a verdict.

Intelligence Is Not a Shield

As lawyers and high-performing professionals, we're trained to be persuasive --and are most dangerous when we turn that persuasion on ourselves.

Do you ever use your intelligence and rationalization skills to convince yourself that you haven't compromised your ethical standards, even when you have?

Because that lie to the self, even more than the actual ethical transgression, is the real descent. One that rewrites your identity from the inside out.

The legal profession's sad public perception -- from noble vanguards of justice to purveyors of sleaze -- didn't arise out of nowhere.

It was earned.

Will You Shine Like Apollo?

Business Is No Excuse

As lawyers transition into leadership -- especially on the business side -- we frequently start to hear whispers:

"Business doesn't have a canon of ethics.""This isn't a legal matter."

But even in business, you are still an attorney. That oath doesn't clock out.

And even if you've given up your license, or never had one, is a reputation for sleaze, for cutting corners, really one that you want the public to judge you by?

Will a reputation for having poor ethics REALLY help build your business in the long-run, even if today, it might seem that it doesn't matter?

Do you want to be remembered as a villain, or an Olympian?

Are you embodying moral weakness, or radiating ethical clarity, shining to others like the light of Apollo?

She’s not blindfolded. She sees everything. Are you leading in a way Dike would respect?

Dike Isn't Waiting: Ethical Leadership is for TODAY

Moral clarity, especially in an ethically unregulated arena like business, requires constant self-discipline and rigorous self-evaluation. To build it, learn to ask yourself:

⚡Are you truly acting as a living representative of Dike?

⚡Or are you forcing her to remain beside Zeus -- sword ready, with judgment looming?

If you want to lead in a way that builds a legacy associated with awe rather than disgust, you must live as though Dike never left.

Here are some ways to start:

⚡Start a daily values journal to gain clarity on your personal code.

⚡Regularly read books and articles on modern ethical leadership -- even when it doesn't feel urgent.

⚡When faced with a moral dilemma, ask: What would Dike do?

Leadership isn't just a job. It's a myth in the making.

And I want your future to be EPIC.

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I'm Scott Mason, The Myth Slayer. I am an attorney and former C-Suite executive, coach, speaker, podcaster, and Master of the Mythic. I graduated from Columbia Law School and have spent years drawing on the full depth of a background spanning the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to provide lawyers feeling stuck or stagnant in their careers or as leaders with a unique (and fun!) system to help them live a life that's epic.

Click here to discover more about me, my mission, and how it can help you.

If you've ever said, "I'm capable of more -- and I want it?" ... then download my five-minute self-assessment, and I'll show you how to experience professional rebirth, increase your inspiration, and create a bold impact NOW!

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