Friday, June 13, 2025.
Designing for Integrity: Helping People Choose the Honest Path
Last week, I wrote about a difficult but necessary truth: everyone cheats, even if just a little. Not in the dramatic sense we associate with scandal or crime, but in small, seemingly harmless ways. People round up hours, tweak reports, or justify cutting corners, all while still considering themselves honest. It’s not malice that drives most of this behavior. It’s convenience, opportunity, and our ability to rationalize.
The challenge for any organization, then, isn’t rooting out “bad apples.” It’s creating systems and cultures that help good people stay on the right path, even when the temptation to stray is there.
One of the most effective things we can do is insert subtle moral reminders BEFORE someone takes action, and yes, timing matters. A short statement about values or integrity, placed at the start of a form, a report, or a task (and not at the end), can shift a person’s mindset and reduce the likelihood of dishonesty. It’s more about the reflection than it is about rules.
We also need to make consequences feel personal. When people feel distant from the impact of their actions, it’s easier for them to justify them. But when they understand that misreporting expenses could mean less budget for training, or that bending the truth on a project could affect a colleague’s workload or job, they’re more likely to make the ethical choice.
Language plays a role as well. Messaging that appeals to identity rather than just behavior is far more effective. Instead of saying “don’t cheat,” we can say “be someone who others can trust.” Framing expectations around who we are, not just what we do, reinforces the idea that honesty is a reflection of character.
Another significant motivator behind dishonest behavior is the desire to avoid punishment. Many people lie not to gain, but to escape negative consequences, even when those consequences are minor. If a culture is overly punitive or if mistakes are met with harsh judgment, people may feel compelled to cover up errors rather than report them. This doesn’t build accountability, it breeds silence and deception. Instead, businesses should promote a culture where owning up to mistakes is seen as a strength, not a liability. When people feel safe to tell the truth, they’re more likely to do so. This is true even moreso at the managerial levels.
Designing environments where people feel gently observed can also make a difference. This doesn’t mean surveillance or control. It can be as simple as adding a peer-review step, implementing self-checks, or even using symbolic cues like mirrors or signs that prompt reflection. A sense of visibility can nudge people toward better behavior, especially among peers.
Culture plays a powerful role too. If people believe that “everyone’s doing it,” dishonesty spreads fast. But when we make it clear that integrity is the norm, most people rise to that standard. If a person is caught cheating at anything, the repercusions of these acts should be handled swiftly and adecuately. And then, highlighting the positive behaviors will help to reinforce a sense of collective honesty.
It’s also important to remove or reduce conflicts of interest. When someone benefits personally from making a biased decision, even subconsciously, it clouds judgment – every… single… time… Wherever possible, decisions that involve financial incentives or sensitive outcomes should be structured with transparency or shared oversight.
And finally, we can’t ignore the role of stress and fatigue. People are more likely to make poor choices when they’re overwhelmed or depleted. Ethical behavior requires mental energy. When we promote a healthy, balanced work environment, we give people the cognitive space to do the right thing. This includes time for breaks and clear boundaries.
In the end, the goal isn’t to create a system of control. It’s to make the honest choice easier, safer, and more natural. It’s helping the honest person to stay honest. Integrity doesn’t happen by accident, it’s shaped by the environments we create. And when we build with that in mind, we don’t just prevent cheating, we foster a culture of trust, responsibility, and pride in doing things the right way.
Brett Mikkelson
Director, B.M. Investigations, Inc.
TOP NEWS and TIDBITS:
Nine Investigations Opened Over Possible Contamination of the La Villa River
Pig farming companies and other economic activities — including the developers of a housing project — are under investigation for allegedly dumping waste into tributaries of the La Villa River. This contamination has affected the population of Chitré and at least four districts in Los Santos, who are now facing water consumption restrictions.
According to available information, the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Los Santos has opened nine investigations following the alleged contamination of the La Villa River, a vital water source for the provinces of Herrera and Los Santos.
The investigations were officially launched on May 29, after citizen complaints began circulating on social media and a formal complaint was filed by a Ministry of Environment official.
Reports indicate that the establishments under scrutiny may have discharged waste into the Estivaná River, a direct tributary of the La Villa River. As a result, the prosecutor’s office, in coordination with the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, carried out inspections to determine whether the water source has been affected.
A total of seven pig farms, one housing development, and a dairy production company are currently under investigation. These entities were administratively sanctioned and given a deadline to make improvements to their facilities, as required by environmental authorities.
Meanwhile, additional inspections are being conducted to verify whether other companies may be linked to the contamination found in the river’s waters, according to official sources.
As the investigations continue, residents remain on alert regarding the quality of the water reaching their homes.
Although the general recommendation not to consume the water directly still stands, the Ministry of Health clarified in its most recent statement that the water may be used for drinking, brushing teeth, and washing kitchen utensils — but only if boiled for at least three to five minutes.
If not boiled, its use remains restricted exclusively to personal hygiene and household cleaning tasks, such as bathing and mopping.
Health and judicial authorities continue to work together to protect the environment and public health, while citizens await a definitive solution to this issue that is affecting thousands of people in the Azuero region.
Ministry of Security Addresses ‘Microwave Network’ Project in Collaboration with the U.S.
The Ministry of Public Security (Minseg) announced that the Republic of Panama and the government of the United States of America will join efforts to strengthen the “Microwave Network” project — a key initiative aimed at improving the communication system of the country’s security forces.
This project originated in 2014 as a public investment plan to enhance the operational capacity of the National Border Service (Senafront). Its main objective is to reinforce the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime, both nationally and transnationally.
In 2019, the initiative was expanded to include the National Aeronaval Service (Senan) and the National Police.
The renewed effort will involve an $8 million investment, fully funded by the U.S. government through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
As part of this expansion, the construction of seven additional towers is planned, where repeater antennas will be installed. These will be integrated into the 13 existing sites that currently make up Minseg’s National Microwave Network.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the public, ensuring security, and safeguarding the dignity and property of all those within the national territory.
Flights from Mexico City to Panama as New Route Start This Thursday, June 12
The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, announced this Thursday the arrival of the first direct Aeroméxico flight from Mexico City to Panama, marking the start of a new daily route between the two countries.
Flights from Mexico City to Panama as a new route
This connection represents an important step in strengthening tourism, business, and cultural exchange between Mexico and Panama, while also improving the country’s connectivity with the rest of North America.
Additionally, the president informed that starting this Friday, the airline Condor will begin operating flights twice a week between Frankfurt, Germany, and Panama, thereby reinforcing ties with Europe and opening new opportunities for Panama’s tourism and commercial sectors.
With these new routes, the government aims to consolidate Panama as a strategic air hub in the region.
Deported Migrants Face a Harsh Reality in Panama as They Attempt to Return to Their Countries
Many of these migrants, mostly from Venezuela, cross the country under precarious conditions, using Panama as a transit route in their attempt to return to their places of origin or neighboring countries.
Amid the rain and bustle of Avenida Justo Arosemena, the TVN Noticias team found Lorena Malo, a Venezuelan migrant who, along with her husband, four children, and pet, crossed the dangerous Darién Gap six months ago. Their destination was the United States, but the dream vanished in Mexico, where they were detained and later deported.
“There is no American dream. The dream is in one’s mind, in the heart. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get through, and here we are again, returning,” Lorena lamented while selling candies in the rain. She has been in Panama for 16 days, sleeping some nights on the streets and trying to raise $1,500 to reach Colombia.
Life in transit is not easy, and the rain only makes it worse. “I arrive at 8:00 a.m. and leave at 6:00 p.m. I can make $80. I try to save $50 for the hotel so my children don’t sleep on the street because it’s raining,” she said.
Like her, hundreds of irregular migrants — many with young children — survive in adverse conditions, hoping their ordeal will soon end. Irregular migration in Panama no longer only represents a northbound phenomenon but also a growing return flow. New land and sea routes have been formed, connecting areas such as Chiriquí, Colón, the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca, Veraguas, and Coclé, with a new destination: Colombia.
A Humanitarian Crisis Without Clear Answers
Elías Cornejo, spokesperson for the organization Fe y Alegría, warned about the humanitarian impact this situation represents, especially for the most vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly.
“The migration problem involves many issues, including education, child safety, and food. This situation is inhumane, and our government must respond in some way to this humanitarian crisis,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the National Migration Service has intensified humanitarian transfers by sea. In the most recent operation, 109 people were moved, mostly Venezuelan citizens, but also migrants from Peru, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone. These trips seek to ease pressure in urban and border areas of the country but also reflect the magnitude and diversity of the migration phenomenon.
Fuel Prices in Panama: Gasoline and Diesel Will Decrease Starting Friday, June 13
According to the official statement, 95-octane gasoline will decrease by B/.0.011 per liter, while diesel will drop by B/.0.005. The price of 91-octane gasoline will remain unchanged.
Fuel Prices in Panama
Prices per liter:
- 95-octane gasoline: B/.0.903
- 91-octane gasoline: B/.0.851
- Diesel: B/.0.766
Prices per gallon:
- 95-octane gasoline: B/.3.41
- 91-octane gasoline: B/.3.21
- Diesel: B/.2.89
The new prices will be effective until June 27.
