Why Unchecked Growth Mindsets Can Enable Ethical Blindspots in Fast-Moving Organizations

A technology company chasing exponential growth adopts a mantra: 'move fast and break things.' Programmers are celebrated for inventions that push the platform to more users, more quickly, while policy and ethics staff find themselves sidelined. One day, a feature goes live that lets users automatically connect their contacts to the app—without meaningful consent. The growth metrics climb. Initial objections are dismissed as details to fix once scale is reached.

Down the line, a privacy regulator spots the issue, and bad publicity erupts. A reflection in the rearview finds that everyone was so focused on keeping the momentum that no one stopped to ask, 'Should we do this?' The culture rewarded velocity, not dissent—overlooking what psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls 'normative myopia.' Over time, small rationalizations become dangerous habits. Eventually, the company spends more time dealing with legal and public backlash than building new features, and trust—once lost—is nearly impossible to rebuild.

Whether in an office or on a project committee, pause for ten minutes each month to list any growing shortcuts or small ethical rationalizations. Invite honest feedback from peers, and raise those concerns openly in your next meeting. If someone on your team flags a potential problem, acknowledge the courage and value in slowing down to get it right. This way, responsible growth becomes part of your playbook, not just another hurdle to overcome.