“So what?” Roger Sublett, president of the Union Institute & University and former director of the Kellogg National Fellowship Program, likes to ask the people who go through his rigorous programs this question. On the page, this question sounds off-putting, even hostile, but coming from Sublett, it is a pure expression of loving-kindness. He insists that his students and fellows be prepared to answer this question before embarking on the leadership and scholarly programs he administers, and at every step of the way toward their conclusion. Without knowing the purpose of the journey from A to B, why waste everyone’s time, energy, money, and other valuable resources making the journey?
Now that we’ve explored many facets of ethical intelligence, it’s high time for us to answer Sublett’s question. The good news is that, unlike the quiz at the beginning of the book, there are lots of right answers to it. Here are some valid responses to anyone who, upon learning that you’ve read this book, asks you, “So what?”
• The five principles of ethical intelligence help you make the best decisions possible, because they bring out the best in you.
• Life is easier when you’re honest, because you don’t have to remember which lies you told, when you told them, or who you told them to.
• There are lots of ways to get people to buy what you’re selling, but the only way to keep them coming back is by earning their trust. The best way to do this is by running your business with ethical intelligence, which means hiring men and women who share this commitment and treating them — and yourself — with respect, fairness, and love.
• Striving to live according to the principles of ethical intelligence — as difficult as this can be — is the best way to get the things you want from life.
Making ethically intelligent choices is both an honorable and a beneficial way to live. It respects the rights of others, and in the long run, everyone ends up better off — including you.
How do you answer the question “So what?” I’d like to know. Contact me through my website, TheEthicsGuy.com.