The parable of the sadhu

What did you learn from this parable that might help you engage in ethical conduct in the workplace?

Identify any ideas or images from then parable that give you clues about how employees are to behave ethically in the workplace. For example, who do we step over on our way to the top?

How do we treat older workers?

The Parable of the Sadhu Melissa W

The purpose of this assignment is to read The Parable of the Sadhu and compare the lessons to one’s ethical conduct in the workplace. During the comparison, one should identify ideas and images descriptive of how one should behave ethically in the workplace, who is easily stepped over on the way to the top, and the manner in which older workers are treated.

The Parable of the Sadhu is a story following a group of hiker’s trekking up the mountain to reach the summit (McCoy, 1983). They stumble upon an Indian Holy Man, a Sadhu, naked and barely alive in the snow (McCoy, 1983). Each member of differing hiking teams assisted the Sadhu with various items (McCoy, 1983). A few of the men clothed him, some transported him to a different, potentially better, environment, and one gave him food and drink (McCoy, 1983). Ultimately, the various people assisted him, but then left him while continuing the hike, not caring until later what the outcome of those actions on that day might mean (McCoy, 1983).

The story, full of imagery and descriptive words, one can almost see the beautiful icy scenery. There is unique irony in the story of the Mountaineers hiking up the mountain in comparison to hiking up the corporate ladder. One might even say it is impossible to do this climb in an ethical fashion (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017). The men consistently gave to the Sadhu, but never really cared about the true betterment of the Sadhu (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017). In the end, they left him on the mountain and it is unknown if he lives or dies (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017). It’s shallow for the Men to think they can throw wealth at the Man who had nothing, but still get to claim they have done right by him (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017).

In the comparison to business, the Sadhu could be considered weak and therefore a risk to have around. Certainly, no one is feeling obligated to take full responsibility for him, rather, each Man gives a little, in order to proclaim they gave a lot (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017). Also, how one responds to crisis demonstrates the ethical backbone one will have in the workplace. Hindsight is 20/20 and this is also true in this story as Bowen McCoy, ultimately, feels guilty about his ethical decision to leave the Sadhu on the Mountain while he continued his summit (McCoy, 1983). The right decisions are not always so clear (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017).

To close, one can make numerous comparisons between personal ethics and group ethics in the corporate environment. The author of this essay has described the comparisons between the story and ethics in the workplace. Without clear direction, ethics go out the window and blame takes over (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017). Since doing the right thing may vary when facing certain circumstances, it is almost guaranteed decisions one makes today, may not be the decision one makes tomorrow (Integrity Consulting Services Ltd., 2014-2017).

References

Integrity Consulting Services Ltd. (2014-2017). Ethic Prereading: The Parable of the Sadhu. Retrieved from http://integrityconsulting.ca/resources/ethics-prereading/71-the-parable-of-the-sadhu

McCoy, B. (1983, September-October). The Parable of the Sadhu. Retrieved from http://marc-lemenestrel.net/IMG/pdf/the_parable_of_sadhu_-bowen_h._mccoy.pdf