The Paradox of Ethics: Why sincerity pays off

Countess Alexandra Grevinde is a member of the Board of Directors of Ferring Pharmaceutical and Poling Chair at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Timothy Fort (timfort@indiana.edu) is Eveleigh Professor of Business Ethics & Professor of Business Law & Ethics at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Philosophically speaking, sincerity isn’t as popular a virtue as it once was. Cynically speaking, a sincere person may be someone who is hiding something or is gullible. The former gives reason not to trust someone; the latter isn’t likely to be successful in a competitive business environment. In our 2017 Stanford University Press book, The Sincerity Edge: How Ethical Leaders Create Dynamic Businesses, we challenge these views.

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