Ethics in Construction

By Thomas Shreves, Executive Director, National Association of Electrical Contractors, Greater Cleveland 

Let me get this straight right off the bat, I own a striped shirt but I’m not a referee. My job is not to settle real or perceived beefs caused by someone’s opinion that another’s ethical standards aren't’ as high as they believe theirs to be. My job is to encourage everyone to aspire to conduct themselves with the highest degree of ethics that is within themselves.

Ethics is a difficult subject to talk about because, like art, everyone knows what it is but sees it differently. I’ve done a lot of evolving on this subject. My current point of view was shaped by a NECA member for whom I have enormous respect. About twenty years ago, as a member of the North Central Ohio Chapter we, the Board of Directors, were struggling with disputes among some members regarding unethical business practices. In what I now believe was a bad solution to the problem, the Board issued a document to our membership asking them to pledge to be “ethical”. The funny party about it was that, probably the most ethical member, refused to sign it. I confronted him and asked for a reason since it would be easy for him to comply. This is where I got a valuable lesson. He said very simply that signing a piece of paper wasn’t going to make anyone more or less ethical.

Ethics is what’s in your heart, it’s who you are. It can’t be legislated. He went on to say that everyone is “ethical”. What’s im- portant is the degree to which they act ethically.

Well, over the years I’ve seen some really deplorable actions by people who are generally good folks. Everybody makes a bad decision now and then but there are people who justify building a business culture of unethical practices for a variety of stated reasons. They say things like “It’s nothing personal it’s just business” and “That’s just how things are done” and my favorite, “If I don’t do it, it’ll be done to me”. I’m not stupid, contrary to what some think, I know business, especially construction, is rough and tumble and certainly not always fair but to use that as an excuse to behave unethically, to me exposes moral weakness. And I know there are times when someone’s in a bind and it’s easier to justify making a poor judgement for an immediate and needed win and sure, they can have “successes” by lowering their price on a rebid or using any number of other unethical tactics to win these individual battles and build what appears to be a successful company but judge- ment day comes for everyone.

From my personal vantage point in all this, it’s amusing when the tables get turned and I get a call from someone I know with a bad reputation and believe me they are out there, who is crying for me to be the referee because they have been aggrieved. The old saying “What goes around, comes around” is the first thing that comes to mind, closely followed by a recitation of “Golden Rule”.

I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the position of having to defend conscious decisions to flat out hurt someone else because that’s the way I can elevate myself and my business. I have plenty of bad decisions to explain when I finally meet the ultimate referee. I’m sure the penalty flags will be flying. However; I feel certain none will be for wanton ethical violations. I hope you can say the same?