ETHICS IN THE ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE:WORKPLACE:

AN OXYMORONAN OXYMORON

OR OR

EXPECTATON?EXPECTATON?

Why Ethics? Why Now?Why Ethics? Why Now?

In the news – Wall Street, Financial In the news – Wall Street, Financial Institutions Institutions

Individual rights, needs, demandIndividual rights, needs, demand Science ahead of moral reasoningScience ahead of moral reasoning Changing characteristics of the world Changing characteristics of the world

- globalization- globalization

What are ethics? What are ethics?

Who is the most ethical person you Who is the most ethical person you know?know?

Why did you think of this person?Why did you think of this person?

What are the characteristics you What are the characteristics you associate with this person?associate with this person?

Some DefinitionsSome Definitions

ValuesValues

MoralsMorals

EthicsEthics

Some DefinitionsSome Definitions

Values - Core beliefs that guide actions.Values - Core beliefs that guide actions.

Morals – Customs, traditions, and beliefs Morals – Customs, traditions, and beliefs that are reflected in personal convictions that are reflected in personal convictions about right and wrong.about right and wrong.

Ethics - Standards of conduct. Ethiko Ethics - Standards of conduct. Ethiko (Greek) – habit. Two dimensions -prudence (Greek) – habit. Two dimensions -prudence (right) and virtue (good). (right) and virtue (good).

Values – MotivatorsValues – Motivators

Morals - Inner CompassMorals - Inner Compass

Ethics – FoundationEthics – Foundation

““Certain core ethical values…form Certain core ethical values…form the foundation of a democratic the foundation of a democratic

society, in particular, society, in particular, trustworthiness, respect, trustworthiness, respect,

responsibility, justice & fairness, responsibility, justice & fairness, caring, and civic virtue and caring, and civic virtue and

citizenship.citizenship.These core ethical values transcend These core ethical values transcend

cultural, religious, and socio-cultural, religious, and socio-economic differences.”economic differences.”

Aspen Declaration, July 1992Aspen Declaration, July 1992

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Concern for selfConcern for self One-way concern about others-what they One-way concern about others-what they

can do for youcan do for you Social Conformity-group normsSocial Conformity-group norms Social Conformity-order in societySocial Conformity-order in society Social Contract-legalisticSocial Contract-legalistic Universal ethical principles-requires Universal ethical principles-requires

mental reasoning, experiencemental reasoning, experience

Adult StagesAdult Stages

Moral thinking and judgments-Moral thinking and judgments-complex, comprehensivecomplex, comprehensive

Diverse viewpoints are consideredDiverse viewpoints are considered Account simultaneously for situation, Account simultaneously for situation,

motivations, principlesmotivations, principles Reasoning requires the ability to: think Reasoning requires the ability to: think

abstractly, weigh competing claims, abstractly, weigh competing claims, consider both logical and emotional consider both logical and emotional domains, take a stand, yet remain domains, take a stand, yet remain open to the futureopen to the future

Philosophical Models of Philosophical Models of Decision MakingDecision Making

The Golden RuleThe Golden Rule Immanuel Kant - Immanuel Kant -

Absolute External moral principlesAbsolute External moral principles Rule of Respect-well being of eachRule of Respect-well being of each Rule of Universality-universal standardsRule of Universality-universal standards

John Stuart Mill-John Stuart Mill- Consequentialism/UtilitarianismConsequentialism/Utilitarianism

Josephson ModelJosephson Model

Golden Kantian Consequentialism Golden Kantian Consequentialism (concerns for ALL (concerns for ALL stakeholders-cost/benefit)stakeholders-cost/benefit) TrustworthinessTrustworthiness RespectRespect ResponsibilityResponsibility FairnessFairness CaringCaring CitizenshipCitizenship

Ethical Decision MakingEthical Decision Making Ethical Commitment - the desireEthical Commitment - the desire Ethical ConsciousnessEthical Consciousness

unaware of ethical implicationsunaware of ethical implications ethical legalismethical legalism ‘‘white’ lies (being helpful or kind)white’ lies (being helpful or kind) exaggeration or understatementexaggeration or understatement

Ethical Competency – reasoning and Ethical Competency – reasoning and problem solving skillsproblem solving skills EvaluationEvaluation CreativityCreativity PredictionPrediction

Models of Ethical Decision MakingModels of Ethical Decision Making

Doctrine of Relative FilthDoctrine of Relative Filth The Conscience ProddersThe Conscience Prodders

The Parent PerspectiveThe Parent Perspective Special Person TestSpecial Person Test The Superman TestThe Superman Test The Publicity TestThe Publicity Test If Everyone Did It.If Everyone Did It. WWJDWWJD

Exercise - Ethical PrioritiesExercise - Ethical Priorities(Fill in the blanks)(Fill in the blanks)

First, take care of First, take care of ____________________________

Second, take care Second, take care of ____________of ____________

Third, take care of Third, take care of ____________________________

The UniversityThe University

Your SupervisorYour Supervisor

YourselfYourself

Leadership’s Roles and Leadership’s Roles and ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Legitimize the principles-based Legitimize the principles-based conversationconversation

Provide the tools for principles-based Provide the tools for principles-based decision-makingdecision-making

Model the behaviorModel the behavior Encourage the behaviorsEncourage the behaviors

Legitimizing the ConversationLegitimizing the Conversation

It is leadership’s responsibility to It is leadership’s responsibility to ensure that the organization’s core ensure that the organization’s core principles are :principles are : clearly articulatedclearly articulated effectively communicatedeffectively communicated uniformly uphelduniformly upheld

Providing the ToolsProviding the Tools

Principles-based decision-making Principles-based decision-making requires:requires: clear standardsclear standards a common decision-making modela common decision-making model a common vocabularya common vocabulary mechanisms for clarification and mechanisms for clarification and

interpretation of principlesinterpretation of principles mechanisms for reporting wrongdoingmechanisms for reporting wrongdoing

Modeling the BehaviorsModeling the Behaviors

For leaders to be effective in a For leaders to be effective in a principles-based organization, they principles-based organization, they must routinely make the ethical must routinely make the ethical component of their own decision-component of their own decision-making explicit.making explicit.

Leaders must be able to point to key Leaders must be able to point to key organizational decisions and explain organizational decisions and explain in detail how they uphold the in detail how they uphold the organization’s principles.organization’s principles.

Encouraging the BehaviorsEncouraging the Behaviors

Decision-making employees must Decision-making employees must explain, in detail, how the explain, in detail, how the organization’s principles are upheld organization’s principles are upheld in any decision they advocate or in any decision they advocate or present.present.

Principles-based decisions must be Principles-based decisions must be discussed and celebrated.discussed and celebrated.

Exercise – practice Exercise – practice makes perfect!makes perfect!

The End!The End!

When It’s Your BossWhen It’s Your Boss

Give your boss a chance to retract requestGive your boss a chance to retract request Begin by saying ‘no’Begin by saying ‘no’ Pick a good time to discuss the Pick a good time to discuss the

disagreementdisagreement Thank your boss for meeting with youThank your boss for meeting with you Define your ethical expectationsDefine your ethical expectations Express concern about boss’s reputationExpress concern about boss’s reputation State the problem clearly and brieflyState the problem clearly and briefly

Ask questions, acknowledge you may have Ask questions, acknowledge you may have misunderstoodmisunderstood

Suggest a solution that is agreeable to Suggest a solution that is agreeable to bothboth

Ask for a commitment to actionAsk for a commitment to action Thank your boss for making an effort to Thank your boss for making an effort to

understand your concernunderstand your concern