Business and Personal Ethicsbusiness ethicsChoices and ConsequencesCPAwhite collar crime

Ethics and Consequences: Lessons Learned in Strange Places

By March 21, 2012 7 Comments

Ethics and consequences: Thinking back 11 years ago, I would never have considered that I, a competent, well educated man, would be sitting in prison. That was a life educational experience where I learned, really for the first time, that there are consequences to every unethical choice we make. Though one might think that we can avoid the consequences, the reality is that they are unavoidable and certain. We just don’t know how or when we will face the inevitable.

ethics and consequences

As a former CPA, through a series of bad choices or serious ethics lapses, I became a white-collar criminal. Now, I am an executive in a publicly held company and an international speaker. I now take the time to review my lessons from prison and write about those experiences so that others may gain benefit and perhaps learn from the experience of others. Some of us learn lessons the hard way. Yet, through sharing the experience of my incarceration and return to productivity, others have stated that they’ve been able to look at their choices in a different and more productive way.

While the prison experience was painful, as the following excerpt from my memoirs shows, it provided a foundation for an incredible opportunity for growth. Likewise, through the prison experience I found numerous ways to help others.

Reflecting on my journal dated – October 6, 1995 reads as follows:
“8:37 a.m. — Reading this morning brought up feelings of sadness, once again. I understand I’m here to be punished, and being away from my children and the things I hold dear is punishment.

4:00 p.m. — Its time for mail call and stand up count time. I live for this time. Being cut off from society is difficult. I hope each day that someone cares enough to send me a letter.

9:40 p.m. — At dinner tonight I had a revelation, I need to talk to high school children and college kids, about the effects of the choices they make. 70% or more of the people here are here for drug-related crimes. It’s sad to see the educational level of most of the inmates. How can anyone expect to ever break the cycle of poverty and crime, if they don’t have the education to do so? I don’t know my role now, but hopefully someday I can make a difference.”

This was a very painful time in my life with many lessons to learn. I learned about punishment and self-esteem based on internal validation rather than external validation. I also learned that many people repeat the lessons of family members gone before them and not realizing they truly had other choices. Now, some eleven years later, I find that the personal growth from the prison experience provided a foundation for help to others. The revelation to speak to high school and college students about ethics has manifested through the establishment of the Choices Foundation, which provides a forum to educate young people on the effects of the choices they make.

It’s extremely powerful to see and hear how young people react to the messages of choice and consequence. All too often they don’t experience the direct consequence of the unethical choices they make. The detriment of youth is you haven’t lived long enough to see the link between choice and outcome. Likewise, many youth, other than perhaps those extremely disadvantaged, have no connection with anyone who has been incarcerated for their actions. Then there are those who experience being incarcerated as a way of life for their family. Therefore, being exposed, in a direct way, to someone who has made unethical choices and faced the consequences, and returned to society to success, is profound to some.

All too often we find that “ethics” and “ethical choices” dominate our media through news events of what has been done wrong. In order to change our focus, we must create an awareness of what should be done right. Ethics and ethical thoughts must begin with an understanding that one cannot escape the consequences of their personal choices.

Join the discussion 7 Comments

  • Catrina Carson says:

    Dear Chuck,

    I think it’s truly inspiring that you’ve taken such a difficult time in your life and turned it around to benefit others. Thank you for all that you do, and I look forward to hearing you speak in person in the upcoming weeks.

    -Catrina Carson, Southern New Hampshire University

  • Nathan Izzicupo says:

    Chuck,

    I found the excerpts from your journal really moving. I’m really interested in hearing more about your experiences next week when you visit our class.

    -Nathan Izzicupo

  • Stephen Hession says:

    Chuck,

    It takes a lot of strength to do what you have done. Loosing everything, especially contact with your family, must’ve been tough but you seemed to have turned those negative emotions that built up in you into something positive. The fact that you are dedicating your life to making future generations aware of the consequences of unethical behavior shows that you truly have learned from your mistakes and care about the issue.

  • James Dickson says:

    Dear, Chuck
    I’m currently wondering what reasons have caused you to make you unethical choices. What was the rationalization, pressure, and opportunity that occurred to allow you to make the decision. However, it was great that you managed to turn you life around after your experience in jail. I’m interested in hearing more about your experiences in class.

  • Taylor Cook says:

    Chuck,
    I think how you used your time in prison to reflect and come up with a way to help people is commendable; a lot of others would have seen this time as only a punishment and nothing other than that. The fact that you have been through such a life changing experience makes me interested to see what your perspective is on other topics relating to ethics. Thank you for sharing your story I look forward to hearing you speak.
    – Taylor Cook

  • Emily Holmes says:

    Chuck,

    From reading the post above, your story is already inspiring to me. All too often people don’t think about the consequences of their actions and until it might be too late, they don’t think they will ever see the repercussions of them. I like the excerpt from your journal where you made the comment about talking to high school and college students. Taking all of your emotions and making them come to life in such a positive way is remarkable. I look forward to hearing you speak next week!

  • […] 2019 GMS Accounting Summit, taking place in Myrtle Beach, NC. Here is a glimpse into Chuck’s blog. Please continue watching the GMS blog where we will feature an additional blog and vlog created […]

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