Doing the Ethical Thing May Still Get You Into Trouble

Article By Terry Clancy – www.GotEthics.Biz

But how can this be true, you ask?  If you do the ethical thing, which a hot topic, you should be clear of any trouble, right?  Not necessarily. 

First of all, we have to look at what is meant by “ethics”.  This is a word we all use and believe we understand.  But, are we all on the same page?  Not having a clear concept may get you into trouble.  Take just a few moments to think of your definition of “ethics”.  Some of you are thinking that it’s doing the right thing; others are saying that it’s doing the moral thing, treating others as you would like to be treated.  Still other are thinking about staying within the boundaries set up under the law.  Who’s right?  Actually, with these few definitions, no one is.

Morals, ethics and the law are three separate concepts that occasionally overlap.  Sometimes the moral thing to do is also ethical and legal.  Sometimes we find what is legal not to be moral or ethical.  You may also feel what is considered ethical to be immoral.   In order to wade through these concepts, let’s take a look at them individually. 

The law states the minimum society demands from its citizens.  What is legal may be considered to be unethical or immoral by some.  And laws can change based on public pressure.

Morals are a system of principles upon which decisions can be based.  There are two sides of a moral issue, Right and Wrong.  These values are instilled in us starting from childhood and are based on feelings.  This explains why personal moral codes vary from person to person.  When it comes to moral issues, many of us have a difficult time explaining why we feel a certain way about a topic.  Unless we write in a journal on a regular basis or go to a therapist once a week, most people find it almost impossible to explain what they are feeling. 

Ethics is based on morals but follow written standards.  When it comes to making an ethical decision, some are Right vs. Wrong and that’s where they will oftentimes overlap with moral decisions.  The other type of ethical decision is Right vs. Right (As developed by Dr. Rushworth Kidder.)  This is when you employ an intellectual process to decide the best outcome to a situation.  Often times, there will be multiple outcomes from which to choose, none of which are wrong.  This process is not based on feelings, but based on weighing the options and coming up with a defendable reason why you chose path A over paths B and C. 

Employees each have their own personal moral codes, but are required to follow the same set of ethical standards as outlined in the company’s Code of Ethics.  For this reason, it is important to read and understand your company’s code of ethics.  When, not if, you are faced with making an ethical decision with multiple right outcomes, how do you know which path to choose?  You need to know what your company expects of you.  You may make a right decision, but not have followed the path your company wants you to.  This may be cause for your termination.  Again, read your company’s code of ethics. 

For more information on ethics training for your employees please visit; www.GotEthics.Biz  

Permission is given to reproduce this article only in its entirety.

Society Conditions us to be Unethical

Article By: Terry Clancy – www.GotEthics.Biz

Don’t be a rat.  Don’t be a whistleblower.  Don’t be a tattletale.  These are things everyone has heard time and time again while growing up in our society.  As children our parents tried to teach us right from wrong.  They spent months and years drilling into us how we should act and the consequences if we do the wrong thing.  And isn’t that how we as parents are teaching our own children?

This can be very confusing for a child.  Often times when a child sees another doing something they have been taught is wrong, they will tell a teacher or a parent.  The other children then label him/her a tattletale.  Peer pressure is often more powerful than the parent’s instructions, so what does the child do the next time he/she sees another doing something wrong?  They stay silent and look the other way. 

This idea is reinforced throughout our lives.  Just look at many movies and television shows.  It’s a very popular scenario; a character on the wrong side of the law is made out to be a hero.  There’s a code that you do not “rat” anyone out.  Now, I’m not suggesting that we stop watching these shows.  In fact, I like them as much as the rest of you, but we need to be clear on how to act in actual situations in our own lives.

What did you do the last time you saw a co-worker do something considered by your company to be unethical?  Did you confront them or report their behavior?  Or, did you look the other way?  These are difficult and uncomfortable questions because we’ve all been in this situation.  None one is 100% ethical in every aspect of their lives.  We’re all human and it’s impossible to be perfect.  With that said, what we need to strive for is to increase the percentage of times when we are doing the ethical thing.  Through continued exposure to ethical discussion and training it will be possible to close the gap between our current percentage and 100%. 

It also seems to have become acceptable in our society to engage in unethical behavior if after having been caught you apologize.  Now it helps if you seem sincere in your apology, but that’s not always necessary.  It really says a lot that people are willing to forgive such large transgressions, but where are the consequences for unethical actions?  Even as a child you were punished for wrong doing.

Besides societal conditioning, the other major reason why people act unethically is fear.  People are afraid of losing their jobs.  For instance, perhaps they know of a boss’s unethical behavior.  Others fear confronting someone engaging in unethical behavior.  They would rather stay quiet and in their comfort zone.  Some people just don’t know the right thing to do, so they look the other way.  We need to look beyond the conditioning and fear and look to what is right for your company and your community.  Doing the ethical thing is not the equivalent of being a rat, whistleblower, or a tattletale.  Doing the ethical thing will pay big dividends in life and at work.  In this depressed economy, we need all the tools in our toolbox to stay in business.  Ethical behavior by a company will keep customers coming back and draw new customers to you. 

For more information on ethics training for your employees please visit; www.GotEthics.Biz  

Permission is given to reproduce this article only in its entirety.

Boring Ethics Training Doesn't Work!

Article by: Terry Clancy, www.GotEthics.Biz

 You’re ready to go to bed and thoughts of the upcoming day fill your head.  Same old, same old you think as you go through your mental checklist.  Suddenly, you get that feeling of butterflies in your stomach.  You fill with anticipation and joy as you remember that tomorrow is no ordinary day.  There is a special meeting for all employees.  Yes, it’s that time again… mandatory corporate ethics training. 

What do you mean, you don’t like ethics training?  What’s the reason for that attitude?  Is it because the ethics trainings you’ve been to are boring and led by someone reading from your corporate Code of Ethics Handbook?  The same handbook you were supposed to have read on your own and, in fact, signed a document stating as much? 

Unfortunately, all too often ethics training is conducted in this manner.  There is such a negative tone to these meetings.  You’re told what not to do and the consequences for deviating from the Code of Ethics.  When organizations are trying to increase ethical behavior, how effective are such trainings? 

Most people learn more and remember longer when they are engaged, participate and have fun during the process of learning.  Ethics/Compliance training can be fun when real life scenarios are presented to the attendees and together with the trainer they arrive at that answer for what is ethical and unethical.  Standing in front of people lecturing to them will not leave a lasting impression, at least not a positive one and they will most certainly not remember much of the material presented.

One question I like to ask the groups I address is “Got Ethics?”  Ethics is a word we all use and think we know, but do we all have the same understanding?  After speaking with thousands of professionals I found that most people don’t really get ethics.  They confuse ethics with morality or legality when, in fact, they are three different concepts.  From this starting point it then becomes possible to discuss ethical and unethical behavior as a group.  We focus on the positive outcomes of ethical behavior, how it can increase your sales or customer service scores, combat negative public perception about your industry, make you a better employee and a better person in your personal life. 

Making ethics real to people makes it stick.  They no longer see ethics as just a bunch of rules to follow and instead see it as the right thing to do.  They understand and internalize that ethical behavior will help everyone involved.  Internalization of ethical behavior should be the goal of all ethics trainings.

For more information on ethics training for your employees please visit; www.GotEthics.Biz

Permission is given to reproduce this article only in its entirety.