At The Fortune 20 company I work for upper management is quite adept at "half-truths".  Maybe these aren't outright lies but I think that executives delude themselves into thinking that they are acceptable.  This is probably why so many of my colleagues and workers in general are very jaded and justify white lies when it is in their interest.  After all it's like the old commercial when the parents ask their kids why he smokes.  The answer - "I learned it from you!"