Reflections on Ethical Dilemmas in Mentorship

In the professional landscape, ethical conundrums can arise in the most unexpected scenarios, often leaving us to question the boundaries of right and wrong. Recently, I encountered a situation that, while amusing in retrospect, underscored the complexities of maintaining ethical standards in a mentoring role.

A group of associates, eager to give back to the community, volunteered their time to coach a high school Junior Achievement team. The objective was straightforward: the team would form a small business, operate it, and navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship over a couple of months. Our group decided to sell fruit baskets, procuring bulk fruit and baskets to create delightful packages for local customers.

However, we quickly stumbled upon a significant hurdle. Junior Achievement imposed strict rules, one of which prohibited any form of debt. While this aimed to safeguard the organization, it inadvertently introduced real-life complications. Without the ability to take on debt, we found ourselves grappling with how to purchase the necessary fruit without upfront capital. How could we obtain money without incurring liabilities?

Our solution involved creative thinking: we asked our customers to prepay for their fruit baskets. This approach allowed us to collect funds by securing orders and subsequently delivering the products weeks later. From a practical standpoint, this strategy was effective and generated cash flow for our venture.

Yet, here’s where the ethical dilemma deepens. An essential part of our mentorship involved preparing weekly financial reports for submission to Junior Achievement’s overseeing body. If we accurately recorded our cash collections and the resulting deferred revenue, we would likely face disapproval from the organization. Nevertheless, it was crucial for us to know who had paid and who was waiting for their fruit baskets, so we fell into an unconventional practice—maintaining two sets of financial records.

What started as a well-intentioned oversight soon became a humorous realization among us mentors and our mentees. We had inadvertently created a “real” set of books for our internal tracking and a second set to submit to Junior Achievement, essentially concealing the truth from those who were meant to oversee our operation.

After several weeks of walking the ethical tightrope, we paused to reflect and found ourselves somewhat amused by the situation. We collectively acknowledged that while we were living in a gray area of ethical practice, the project had a limited timeframe, and it seemed easiest to continue as we were.

This experience not only highlighted the challenges of adhering to ethical guidelines in mentoring environments but also served as