Characters
I had a very strong work ethic. The problem was my ethics in work.
— Seth Davis

Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
A wordplay confession. The speaker had a strong work ethic, meaning diligence and drive, but the trouble was their ethics in work, meaning moral choices on the job. Swapping the word order turns a boast into an admission of doing questionable things.
Context reviewed