We’ve all seen opportunism at work. Maybe it’s someone we know who is always looking for the benefit. Or who always seems to position themselves to benefit.

And maybe they aren’t as good at sharing the benefit when they can. They don’t want to. Or maybe they just don’t think to.

I’ve known well several people like that, always alert to the main chance and often finding it. Glad to go along for the ride, but rarely taking anyone with them on the E-tickets, even if they could. I had a friend with a gift toward ingratiating herself with others to get a benefit: a free trip, a nicer place to stay, a ticket to a great social event. Her relationships were often transactions in which she was always the beneficiary.

We were close friends, or so it seemed. But the balance of power was off. All take and no give.

Opportunism often carries a sour taste, and for good reason. At its worst, it’s the instinct to exploit people or situations for personal gain, with little regard for fairness, ethics, or the impact on others.

You’ve seen it: someone who takes credit for work they didn’t do, manipulates a crisis to benefit themselves, or treats relationships as transactions. That kind of opportunism erodes trust and leaves damage in its wake.

Or there’s that milder version I described earlier. It might piss us off, but does no real damage.

But here’s the complication: not every opportunity-seeker is a predator. Sometimes, what we call “opportunism” is simply recognizing the chance to grow, change, or move forward when life cracks open a door.

There’s nothing wrong with being alert to those possibilities—so long as our actions don’t trample on someone else in the process.

So, is opportunism always a bad thing? Not always—but it easily can be. The dividing line is integrity.

If taking an opportunity requires betraying trust, cutting ethical corners, or harming others, then yes, it’s harmful. If, instead, it means being awake and ready when life offers us something new, what’s wrong with that?

The truth is, life presents us all with moments to step forward. The question isn’t whether we should take them—it’s whether we can do so without leaving others worse off. And whether we’re willing to give back.

Opportunism without conscience is dangerous.

Opportunism guided by integrity doesn’t seem to be a sin, at least not to me. What do you think?