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7 Deadly Sins in Business – Lust 
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Bob Ryan, About Purpose, Inc. ©2008
“This is a business newsletter, what do I care about The 7 Deadly Sins?” Read on. Because those 7 Deadly Sins that most of us grew up hearing about will destroy a business just as fast as they are said to destroy our lives. These next several months this newsletter will answer why you really should care about The 7 Deadly Sins in your workplace.
Remember what they are?
Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride.
Now that you see the list, can you understand where we’re going with the business connection?
Let’s start with lust, not only because it happens to be first on the list, but because many people will want to turn to it first just out of curiosity.
Lust – an inordinate craving for pleasures of the flesh; intense or unbridled sexual desire. When you look up the word, you may also see a secondary definition: Leaking Underground Storage Tank. That definition is really appropriate to our discussion since lust in the workplace is generally hidden, dangerous, destructive, and has long-term consequences.
“Oh, come on,” you might say, “what harm is there in a simple office romance?” Well, there’s nothing illegal in “a simple office romance.” In most companies, there are not even any policies discouraging it. Here are several reasons for you to look more carefully at mixing lust and business.
One: Legal Reasons. This is not contrary to what the previous paragraph just said. An office romance is not, in and of itself, illegal. However, it can lead to two situations that are illegal and can expose the parties involved, their supervisors and the corporation to a great deal of liability. Lust between people in the workplace can easily escalate into sexual harassment when there is any power differential between the parties. Even the perception that sexual favors are being traded for job security, compensation, promotions, etc. can trigger complaints and lawsuits, not just from the parties involved, but from others who might feel they are impacted by the unfair treatment. (Remember, we are talking about lust – inordinate craving, unbridled desire. How likely is it that people involved or impacted are thinking rationally?)
Which brings us to the other situation: the creation of a hostile work environment. If an atmosphere exists in which employees feel the workplace is unsafe or hostile, due to the actions of co-workers and the inaction of management, there may be cause for legal action. In the case of office lust, there is a great deal of risk that coarse jokes, retaliation, blackmail, etc. will rise up. (One survey says 9% of U.S. adults said they’ve had romantic relations with a co-worker that resulted in office gossip. 5% of U.S. adults said they’ve had romantic relations with a co-worker that made work uncomfortable)
Two: Ethical Reasons. The ethical issues involved in lust in business are many. There is the likelihood of preferential treatment; there is the question of time and energy stolen from the job; there is the issue of misuse of company resources. If the lustful situation is with vendors, customers or competitors, the list of ethical issues expands tremendously. The question to ask yourself is this, “Is this behavior consistent with what I profess to believe about how to treat others, the values of our workplace, the image I want to project for me and/or my company?” In all likelihood, the answers will be complicated, but will probably lead an honest, sincere person to look elsewhere for sexual gratification.
Three: Mission Reasons. Mission is usually thought of from the corporate standpoint, but here it refers both to that as well as your personal mission. The corporate mission is almost certainly not served by lustful behavior in the workplace. It’s just flat out, a misuse of the mission, goals and resources. Janice Reals Ellig in Sex in the Workplace: Still a Challenge for the Corporate Woman, says this: “Live by this rule: Work is work, and love is love, and never the twain shall meet. When you're on company time and being paid company money, you owe company business all your attention and energy.”
There’s also the issue of your personal mission. What are you in the workplace for? If it is to further your career, establish your credentials, gain experience and knowledge, create a path for advancement, etc. then lust simply does not match your mission. (If your reason for being in the workplace is to “score,” then do us all a favor and take it to the local bar.)
Four: Relational Reasons. Effective, mature relationships are essential for the exchange of services and products both within and outside any particular workplace. Co-workers need to be able to trust and rely on each other’s sound judgment and professionalism. For all of the reasons above, people who enter into lustful relationships at work are at best, suspect, and at worst engaging in behavior unbecoming a professional
Is lust a deadly sin in business? The answer is decidedly “yes.” Many CEOs, many politicians, many corporations, many professionals, many clerics have learned the hard way that lust in the workplace can bring down empires and destroy lives. Are you guilty of it? That’s a question you have to answer for yourself.
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