03.05.T01-RS — Reflection Scorecard: Practices for Avoiding Corruption

Reflecting on Practical Ways to Resist Corruption

This chapter presents practical actions that can help a person avoid succumbing to corruption. As you complete this Reflection Scorecard, reflect on the practices discussed in the chapter and consider how they apply to your own life, work and environment.

Part A: Spiritual Foundations

1. Which of the practices under "Being Spiritually Healthy" challenged you most strongly? Why?

2. What did you learn about the role of God's Word in helping a person resist corruption?

3. Why do you think merely reading the Word is not enough without conforming to it?

4. What lessons did you learn about storing God's Word in your heart and meditating upon it?

5. Which statement about faith and corruption affected your thinking most strongly?

6. How can faith help a person refuse a bribe during a season of financial pressure?

Part B: Seeing Others Differently

7. What did you learn from the instruction to "wear your client's shoes"?

8. How might empathy reduce the likelihood of exploiting customers, clients or stakeholders?

9. If Daudi had consistently viewed situations from the client's perspective, what might have been different?

Part C: Contentment and Gratitude

10. What did you learn about the relationship between contentment and corruption?

11. How can focusing on what we lack increase vulnerability to corruption?

12. What did the discussion on counting one's blessings teach you about managing desires and expectations?

13. Why do you think learning to live "with and without" is important in the fight against corruption?

Part D: Relationships and Influence

14. What did you learn about the influence of mentors, friends and workmates on ethical behaviour?

15. Which warning about maintaining a corruption-free network stood out most strongly to you?

16. Have you ever seen a person's reputation damaged because of the company he or she kept?

☐ Yes

☐ No

☐ Not Sure

If yes, what happened?

17. Why is it dangerous to justify corruption on the basis that "everyone else does it"?

Part E: Accountability and Personal Conduct

18. What did you learn about accountability to God from this chapter?

19. Why do you think the chapter places special accountability demands on leaders?

20. What lessons did you learn about financial ethics and the love of money?

21. Which point about maintaining a clean track record challenged you most strongly?

22. If Samuel asked you the question he asked the Israelites regarding bribes, how confident would you feel answering it? Why?

Part F: Wisdom in a Corrupt Environment

23. What did you learn about being cautious when dealing with potentially corrupt situations or people?

24. Why is due diligence important when interacting with clients, suppliers or other stakeholders?

25. What did the chapter teach you about prudence and choosing the right time, place and method for addressing corruption?

26. Why might a well-intentioned but imprudent response sometimes make a situation worse?

Part G: Taking a Stand

27. What did you learn about whistle-blowing from this chapter?

28. Why do some people hesitate to expose corruption even when they know it is wrong?

29. What lesson did you draw from Keziya's willingness to declare her moral position openly?

30. Under what circumstances might wisdom require a person to delay revealing his or her position until the right time?

Part H: Personal Responsibility

31. Which practice discussed in this chapter would be most effective in helping you avoid corruption? Why?

32. What did you learn about the importance of intentionally disconnecting from corruption rather than merely wishing to change?

33. Why do you think the chapter repeatedly emphasises personal responsibility through phrases such as "guard yourself," "put off," and "take care"?

34. What lessons did you learn about excellence and star performance as protection against unethical pressure at work?

My Key Discoveries

35. The anti-corruption practice that challenged me most is:

36. The anti-corruption practice that I most need to strengthen is:

37. The most important lesson I learned from this chapter is:

38. The statement from this chapter that I want to remember is:

Before I Move On

39. Which of the chapter's practices do you believe would make the greatest difference in reducing corruption within your organisation or community?

40. What is one practical change you would like to make as a result of reading this chapter?