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KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF BUSINESS
Volume 34, January 2004
Publisher: © Key Associates, 2004
ISSN # 1545-8873
http://www.mkkey.com
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New contact info for Key Associates:
phone (615) 665-1622/fax (615) 665-8902
1857 Laurel Ridge, Nashville TN 37215
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This Issue: On "Ethics"
Contents:
"Your ethical system is your map of the good life."
- M. Scott Peck
"Only a human being is capable of being ethical;
not abstract things like companies, government, media."
- W. Robert Thompson, Attorney and Ethics Specialist
"It is impossible for us to break the law. We can
only break ourselves against the law."
- Cecil B. deMille commenting on his movie,
The Ten Commandments
The ideals which have always shone before me
and filled me with the joy of living are goodness,
beauty, and truth. To make a goal of comfort or
happiness has never appealed to me; a system of
ethics built on this basis would be sufficient
only for a herd of cattle.
- Albert Einstein
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WHAT'S HOT IN LEADERSHIP
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LEADING BY PRINCIPLES, NOT DICTATING
PRACTICES.
ARTICULATING THE VALUES OF AN
ORGANIZATION, AS A FOUNDATION FOR
PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS.
CREATING CONDITIONS FOR ETHICAL
REFLECTION--DIALOGUE ABOUT
"WHAT'S RIGHT."
CONDUCTING ONESELF WITH THE UTMOST
INTEGRITY: LIVING AT YOUR WORD AND
KEEPING AGREEMENTS YOU MAKE.
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MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A LEADER
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As a leader, you are the primary ethics teacher
in your organization. What you do, what you omit
sends signals to the observing. And they
will remember what you do, long after they forget
what you said.
Frequently, you must choose right over right, or
what is both right and good for your organization.
Ethical dilemmas are defining moments for your
leadership. By exposing how you make ethical
decisions, you reveal the content of your own
character and renew what values are
to be embraced by your organization.
Make time for ethical reflection and consultation.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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When there is no clear right or wrong, how do
I proceed?
Let me direct you to the writing of William D. Hitt.
His typology of ethical principles categorizes the
major schools of thinking. He believes you should
test your dilemma from all four perspectives:
A. End-result Ethics: What are the expected
consequences and what will produce the most
good for the most people?
B. Rule Ethics: Are there laws, policies, codes
of ethics that guide this?
C. Social Contract Ethics: What are the norms
in our culture and the values of our organization?
D. Personalistic Ethics: What are our personal
convictions and what feels like the right thing to do?
How do I maintain a workplace environment
that encourages honest and open communication
about ethical issues?
These are the conditions for ethical reflection:
- Dialogue (value learning over being right)
- Inquiry through open questions (what & how)
- Trust
- Involvement in decision-making
- Role flexibility
- Diversity of opinion
- Far-sightedness
- Focus on issues and facts, not blaming
The area that concerns me most is how our
people treat each other. Any suggestions?
Some organizations have developed ground
rules or principles or even a covenant, to
define how individuals will behave with each other.
For example, the management team at Shannon
Health System in San Angelo, Texas developed these:
A. Be open with each other - speak up.
B. Assume that what we tell each other is meant to help.
C. It's OK for people to take risks.
D. If you have a problem with me, come to me. If you hear a
problem about me, bring it to me.
E. Hold my communication to you with the highest level of regard.
F. Make commitments you can keep. Keep commitments you make.
If I miss a commitment, let me know.
G. Support the learning curve of others.
H. We will make each other and the team successful.
And Memorial Hospital in Logansport, Indiana:
A. Tell me before you tell others.
B. Support each others' success.
C. Show respect for each other.
D. Keep the bigger picture in mind.
E. Clarify how each decision will be made.
F. Balance empathy with work expectations.
G. Affirm each others' contributions.
H. Hold in confidence privileged information.
I. Support the person while challenging the idea.
J. If a change impacts me consult me.
K. Collaborate in movement of human resources.
How do you go about developing an ethics program?
The core is your company Purpose and Values.
Your Code of Ethics or Principles derive from
these. Insert teaching moments and ethics
discussions in orientations, meetings, seminars.
Maintain an open door and invite feedback.
Conduct periodic ethics reviews.
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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Web resources for teaching ethics
http://ubmail.ubalt.edu/%7Erbento/hoffberger/hc18webethics.htm
BizEthicsBuzz, a monthly newsletter available through
BizEthics@b.bcentral.com
Business Ethics: Corporate Social Responsibility Report,
a quarterly journal available through www.business-ethics.com
Ethics Web Bookstore
http://www.ethicsweb.ca/books/
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OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES
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Applied Ethics on the WWW
http://www.ethicsweb.ca/resources/
Codes of ethics online
http://www.iit.edu/departments/csep/PublicWWW/codes/index.html
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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS
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Badaracco, Joseph L. Defining Moments: When
Managers Must Choose Between Right and Right.
Harvard Business School Press, 1997.
Briskin, Alan. The Stirring of Soul in the Workplace.
Berrett-Koehler, 1998.
Hart, Lois B. & Waisman, Charlotte S. 50 Activities for
Developing Leaders: Volume II. HRD Press, 2003.
Hitt, William D. Ethics and Leadership. Batelle
Memorial Institute, 1990.
Hultman, Ken. Balancing Individual and Organizational
Values: Walking the Tightrope to Success. Jossey- Bass/Pfeiffer,
2001.
Kidder, Rushworth M. How Good People Make
Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical
Living. Fireside, 1996.
Kouzes, James M. & Posner, Barry Z. The Credibility
Factor: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People
Demand It. Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Maxwell, John C. There's No Such Thing As "Business"
Ethics: There's Only One Rule For Making Decisions .
Warner Faith, 2003.
Peale, Norman V. Peale & Blanchard, Ken. The Power
of Ethical Management. William Morrow, 1998.
Seglin, Jeffrey L . The Good, the Bad, and Your Business:
Choosing Right When Ethical Dilemmas Pull you Apart.
John Wiley & Sons, 2000.
Wheatley, Margaret J. & Kellner-Rogers, Myron.
A Simpler Way. Berrett-Koehler, 1999.
