Leaders reported for white-collar mischief by the media haven't done it the first time in their lives. Life just isn't that way. Immorality is a habit one develops that usually ends in headlines. In "Slipping to Normal," author Bill Arthur applies an adage, "Every society normalizes its own moral sickness," to show why we make bad choices. "Slipping to Normal" is about the leader whose bad choice is simply to look the other way and rationalize misconduct with attitudes such as:
.Everybody does it, so why bother trying to change it,
.As long as subordinates do their work, I don't worry about how.
It is hard enough for corporate executives just to sustain focus on business objectives deep into the organization without trying to make people good. Financial reward is the only goal in business is a frequent complaint about business, but this doesn't reach the deep-seeded motivations down in the trenches.
The declining influence of the church is also a factor, but it is still a player in our society. "Slipping to Normal" draws upon Biblical teachings to offer some ideas to regain our moral backbone.