In the service industry, people attempt to cheat on a regular basis. Homeowners do it by trying to short-pay a bill, tell white lies to tilt events to their favor, or make veiled attempts to obtain free services. Insurance companies do it by delaying payment, denying justifiable damage, or defending questionable practices. Estimators do it by omitting services, using inferior quality goods, or padding numbers for their employer. Intentional or unintentional, as a professional it is likely that you will work with those who cheat. It is imperative that you prepare in advance for how you will approach these situations.
Dan Ariely, speaker and author of The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, believes, “Corruption is not about being bad, it’s about being human.” In a research experiment about cheating, he found that 70% of the 40,000 people tested cheated. These test subjects did not cheat significantly, but they felt as if they could “fudge” or misbehave a little and still feel like a good person. Given these results, it is likely you have been in a room today with someone who is okay with cheating (just a little).