When business and personal ethics collide: A cautionary tale

It remains to be seen whether this latest incident will affect Molinaroli's tenure. However, Morningstar analyst David Whiston opined that the Zada episode "raises the inherent risk of there being poor judgment on the business side because of poor judgment on the personal side."

Can you have solid business judgment and ethics but still lapse in personal integrity? Where do the two meet and which one is likely to prevail?

As an advisor, you are often required to maintain a high level of fiduciary responsibility with your clients. This is ingrained in your office culture and co-workers. But when you have an outside, personal circumstance invade your business world, you run the risk of losing trust and respect from those who work with you.  Though you may still maintain your professional stature, an outside issue can certainly tarnish one's reputation, as well as fuel speculation as to your moral standing.

There is, of course, the concept of people throwing stones from their respective glass houses; however, until they are under the microscope for a personal fail, their right to cast judgment prevails.

'Do as I say not as I do' may seem like Molinaroli's perspective but for the rest of us, the collision of business and personal ethics is a very slippery slope.