31. Integrity is threatened by multi-tasking:
the more tasks the greater the threat
The more duties and positions an SP takes on, the greater the risk to integrity because (1) there is less time for each separate task, (2) the likelihood of conflict of interest rises, and (3) it becomes more difficult to maintain a common thread. It is therefore important for SPs to work out whether the tasks and jobs they take on are compatible.
One strategy for acquiring power is to take on as many tasks and jobs as possible. The trick is to maximize the size of your portfolio, participation on different committees, and the number of additional jobs you take on. This allows you to voice your opinion everywhere, stay up to date with everything, and develop a large network. From an integrity perspective, however, it is a risk, even if it is done with the best intentions of learning about society and serving as well as possible. There are at least three reasons why this is a risk to integrity.
Firstly the more jobs SPs take on, the less time for each task, so they risk having too little time and attention to do things well: attention becomes fragmented and it is impossible to concentrate fully on each task. Especially if the main job requires a great deal of time and attention, additional jobs will only create an impression of insufficient focus on the central role. For that reason there was concern among members of congress when they publicly questioned a governor’s eligibility for reappointment in view of his fourteen additional jobs, which doubled his private income. Similarly there was considerable criticism for a party leader soon after his election when a magazine revealed his many additional paid jobs from which he earned as much as he did from his regular income as a congressman, while rarely showing his face in congress.
Secondly, taking on more jobs increases the chance of conflict of interest. After all, each job has its own interests. The more jobs, the more interests there are to be served. Accumulating jobs increases the chance of conflict of interest and mixing of tasks, to the point that others no longer know in what capacity the SP is speaking. Even the appearance of conflict of interest can damage integrity.
Thirdly, it becomes more difficult to find the common thread in the multiplicity of tasks. The more tasks a person has, the harder it is to maintain cohesion and unity between them. It becomes more difficult to express individual identity, because when everything runs together, neither the SP nor outsiders can make head or tail of the situation.
For integrity it is therefore important to ensure that the combination of tasks and jobs is feasible. They should be compatible in terms of time management, as well as credibility, clarity, and independence. As a commissioner said, “Personally when it comes to additional jobs I always ask myself: is there any conflict with my main job and is it compatible with my main job in terms of time and effort?”149