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When Faced With Ethical Dilemmas, Ask Yourself These 3 Questions - Lead Change
When Faced With Ethical Dilemmas, Ask Yourself These 3 Questions - Lead Change
(https://leadchangegroup.com)
Leadership
April 21, 2014
Randy Conley (https://leadchangegroup.com/author/randyconley/)
Topics
ethics (https://leadchangegroup.com/tag/ethics/), Trust (https://leadchangegroup.com/tag/trust/)
Acting with integrity; being honest in word and deed - 57% of more than 600 attendees in a webinar
as the most influential leadership behavior that builds trust. Making ethical decisions is a key component of
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24/8/2019 When Faced with Ethical Dilemmas, Ask Yourself These 3 Questions - Lead Change
being an honest and trusted leader, yet many of us don't have a defined process or rubric for handling ethical
dilemmas.
A simple, yet powerful process that I've relied upon is one that I learned from Ken Blanchard and Norman
(http://www.kenblanchard.com/Store/Books_Audios/Ethics_Values_and_Integrity/Power_of_Ethical_Management_The/).
Blanchard and Peale suggest that leaders ask the following three questions when making a decision about an
ethical problem:
1. Is it legal? The purpose of this question is to get you to look at existing standards. The legality of the
decision should be examined not just from the civil law perspective, but also in regards to company
policies or standards. If the answer to this first question is "no," there isn't much need to ask the following
two. If your organization doesn't have an ethics policy or company values that outline the behaviors
my friend and colleague, Chris Edmonds, that will help you get started.
2. Is it balanced? The purpose of this question is to activate your sense of fairness and rationality. Will the
decision be fair or will it heavily favor one party over another, in the both the short and long-term?
Decisions that produce big winners, at the expense of making others big losers, often come back to haunt
individuals and organizations. It's not always possible to make decisions where everybody wins, but
leaders should strive to avoid major imbalances over the course of their relationships.
3. How will it make me feel about myself? This last question gets you to focus on your own emotions,
standards, and sense of morality. How would you feel if what you were considering doing was published
on the front page of your local newspaper or CNN.com? Would it make you and your family proud or
embarrassed? If you're losing sleep over the situation, it's probably an indication that your conscience is
wrestling with the decision and its alignment with your personal values. As John Wooden, the famous UCLA
Constant use of these three questions as an 'ethics check' can help guide you into a pattern of 'right' behavior
that can become habit-forming and put you on the path to being an ethical and trusted leader.
I'm interested in hearing about your experiences in handling ethical dilemmas. Have you used this 'ethics check'
#leadchange
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RANDY CONLEY
Randy Conley is Vice President of Client Services & Trust Practice Leader for
operations and works with clients around the globe helping them design
and deliver training and consulting solutions that build trust in the
workplace. Trust Across America named him a Top 100 Thought Leader in
Degree in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego and enjoys
spending time with his family, cycling, and playing golf. You can follow
(HTTPS://LEADCHANGEGROUP.COM/AUTHOR/RANDYCONLEY/)
ONE RESPONSE
1. Vatsala Shukla (http://karmicallycoaching.com) says:
these-3-questions/#comment-12214)
As a matter of habit, I’ve always used these 3 questions when handling important decisions in my career.
The true acid test for me was when I accepted a voluntary position as a Treasurer for a Society and the
President wanted me to sign a check to transfer a fund to a bank of his choice which was not permitted in
the Bye Laws. The Committee knew my vocational modality but not my reputation. I held my ground and
informed the other members of the Committee and then resigned on principle when I found no support.
The transfer of funds did take place and there was an uproar. To date the funds have not been brought
back even though the management has since changed but I have noticed that when I speak, the general
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