Blind Spots: Why We Fail To Do What's Right And... May 2026

Organizations should audit their incentive structures. If you reward only the "bottom line," you are architecting an environment where ethical blind spots flourish.

Before a decision, our "should" self (rational and ethical) is in charge. However, at the moment of the decision, the "want" self (impulsive and self-interested) takes over. Afterwards, we use "ethical fading" to justify our actions and maintain our positive self-image. Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What's Right and...

The authors argue that most unethical behaviour isn't the result of "bad people" doing bad things, but rather "good people" being unaware of the psychological biases that cloud their judgment. Organizations should audit their incentive structures

We have a tendency to overlook the unethical behaviour of others when it is in our interest to remain ignorant (e.g., a manager ignoring a top salesperson's shady tactics). However, at the moment of the decision, the

This occurs when the ethical aspects of a decision disappear from view, often because they are masked by "business" goals, "legal" requirements, or "efficiency" metrics.

Just as we have limits on our cognitive abilities (bounded rationality), we have psychological limits that prevent us from seeing the ethical dimensions of our choices.