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LWI Newsletter – The Perils of Mere Compliance
"Intrinsic motivation is conducive to creativity; controlling extrinsic motivation is detrimental to creativity." — Teresa Amabile (Harvard Business School Professor, American psychologist, and author)
In our last edition, we began a series of articles to lay a foundation for our upcoming integrity conference. We focused on the seat of integrity, the human heart. In this edition, we want to reveal some truths about mere compliance.
Many policymakers quote C. S. Lewis’ saying (that integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching), yet their instruments, such as rules and controls, promote compliance. But compliance should not be our ultimate goal for several reasons.
Number one, there is a substantial body of research confirming that extrinsic regulations do not automatically lead to intrinsic integrity. Regulations, by definition, apply to countable situations and, most of the time, to particular settings. In other words, there are always loopholes in the law because human conduct is displayed in an unquantifiable number of cases. The offenders misuse the loopholes in the law, which provokes endless rounds of sharpening the articles.
Number two, an externalized approach is likely to backfire. Research shows that heavy external control can crowd out intrinsic motivation. If individuals feel distrusted or controlled, they may shift from “doing the right thing” to “doing the minimum required.”
Number three, a policy approach focused on compliance overlooks the fact that human nature is wired to be at peace only under certain conditions. Let’s take an example: do you care for your children because the law says you should, or because of an internal drive? Likewise, real integrity is not a pure cost-benefit calculation but a matter of self-concept.
If our goal is internalized integrity, a compliance-focused strategy based on external parameters becomes unsustainable. This discrepancy results either from ignorance or an intentional decision. In our next edition, we will examine the roots of this mismatch.
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LWI Newsletter – E Peligernan di djis kumpli
"Motivashon intrínsiko ta kondusí na kreatividat; motivashon ekstrínsiko kontroladó ta stroba kreatividat." — Teresa Amabile (Profesor di Harvard Business School, sikólogo i outor Merikano)
Den nos último edishon, nos a kuminsá ku un seri di artíkulo pa pone un fundeshi pa nos próksimo konferensia di integridat. Nos a enfoká riba sede di integridat, e kurason humano. Den e edishon aki, nos ke revelá algun bèrdat tokante e aktitut di djis kumpli.
Hopi trahadó di maneho ta sita C. S. Lewis su dicho (ku integridat ta hasi loke ta korekto asta ora niun hende n’ ta mira), pero nan instrumentonan, manera regla i kontrol, ta promové djis kumplimentu. Pero djis kumpli no mester ta nos meta final pa vários motibu.
Na promé lugá, tin un kantidat supstansial di investigashonnan ku ta konfirmá ku regulashonnan ekstrínsiko no ta kondusí outomátikamente na integridat intrísinsiko. Regulashon, pa definishon, ta aplikabel den sierto kantidat di situashonnan i mayoria bia, den kasonan spesífiko. Ku otro palabra, semper tin buraku den lei pasobra komportashon humano ta keda eksponé den un kantidat inumerabel di kasonan. Nan ta malusá e burakunan den lei loke ta provoká tantísimo ròndu di adaptashon di e artíkulonan.
Na di dos lugá, tin hopi chèns ku un aserkamentu eksternalisá por traha nèt kontrali. Investigashonnan ta mustra ku kontrol eksterno pisá por frena motivashon intrínsiko. Si hende sinti ku no ta konfi’é i ku e ta wòrdu kontrolá, e por kambia di “hasi loke ta korekto” pa “hasi e mínimo ku ta rekerí”.
Na di tres lugá, un maneho ku ta enfoká riba kumplimentu no ta tene kuenta ku e echo ku naturalesa humano ta diseñá pa ta na pas solamente bou di sierto kondishonnan. Laga nos tuma un ehèmpel: abo ta kuida bo yunan djis pasobra lei ta bisa ku bo mester òf ta un empuhe interno? Igualmente, integridat real no ta puru un kalkulashon di gastu i benefisio ma asuntu di un konsepto di bo mes.
Si nos meta ta un integridat internalisá, un strategia enfoká riba kumplimentu basá riba parámetronan eksterno no ta sostenibel. E diskrepansia aki ta resultado di sea ignoransia òf desishon intenshonal. Den nos próksimo edishon, nos lo saminá rais di e desaliñamentu aki.
