Managing ethics in your professional life<\/p>\n
By Pri Notowidigdo<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): We frequently find ourselves facing ethical
\ndilemmas -- situations concerning right and wrong where values are
\nin conflict.<\/p>\n
As a student, you may have seen a friend cheating and wondered
\nwhat to do. Which is the more important value -- being loyal to a
\nfriend, or reporting someone to the teacher because he was
\ncheating?<\/p>\n
In a work setting, perhaps you were tempted to buy some stocks
\nbecause of insider information telling you that the stocks will
\nincrease in value.<\/p>\n
You know that this is wrong because the information is not
\npublic knowledge and you have access to privileged information.
\nYou tell yourself that you are a professional in this regard.
\nYet, the temptations of easy financial gain and improving the
\nquality of life for you and your family are big. Which is more
\nimportant -- professionalism or family duty?<\/p>\n
These examples represent values in conflict. Both are ethical
\ndilemmas. Depending on how you define ethics, these dilemmas can
\neither cause great conflict or they can be managed.<\/p>\n
If ethics is defined as a set of moral principles or values,
\nthis then becomes highly personal and relative. I have my moral
\nprinciples, you have yours, and neither of us should try to
\nimpose our ethics on each other.<\/p>\n
Another more practical definition is ethics as the principles,
\nnorms, and standards of conduct governing an individual or group.
\nIn this regard, we expect work organizations to govern work-
\nrelated conduct. If we use this definition, ethics then becomes
\nan extension of good management.<\/p>\n
Leaders identify appropriate and inappropriate conduct, and
\nthey convey their expectations to employees through codes of
\nethics, training programs, and other communication mechanisms.<\/p>\n
Whether we prefer to admit it or not, our ethical conduct is
\ninfluenced (and, to a large degree, controlled) by our
\nenvironment. In work settings, leaders, managers, and the entire
\ncultural context are an important source of this influence and
\nguidance.<\/p>\n
Deciding what's right then represents an essential part of
\norganizational ethics. Doing what's right becomes a tremendous
\nchallenge because individuals and groups have to make decisions
\nin a highly complex context. Roles and norms, authority and power
\nrelationships, competitive pressures, profit motives, and
\norganizational structures all come into play.<\/p>\n
Why do most business people do the right thing most of the
\ntime? Why do they persist in believing that good ethics is good
\nbusiness? Because they're people first, who value their good
\nreputations and the opinions of their friends, family, and the
\ncommunity. They're guided by a \"moral compass\" that points them
\nin an ethical direction, as well as a financial compass that
\npoints them towards consideration of the costs and benefits of a
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
People are interconnected in the work place. This means that
\nwork is an important source of meaning in people's lives.
\nIntuition and spiritual values are valued alongside analytical
\nskills. Business is no longer just about products and bottom-line
\nprofits. The words \"products\" and \"profits\" join with words like
\n\"meaning\" and \"values\".<\/p>\n
Experts in business ethics offer a number of approaches to
\nhelp guide you in deciding what's right. Below are a number of
\npractical questions to ask yourself:<\/p>\n
* Have I got all the facts? It is too easy to jump to solutions
\nbefore you have all the facts.<\/p>\n
* What are the ethical issues? Don't jump to solutions without
\nfirst identifying the issues or points of conflict in the
\ndilemma.<\/p>\n
* Who would be affected by what I do? Being able to see the
\nsituation through others' eyes is a key moral reasoning skill.
\nYou have to think beyond the facts provided in a case in order to
\nidentify all affected parties.<\/p>\n
* What would be the consequences? Think about the potential
\nconsequences for each of the parties. Who would be harmed by a
\nparticular decision or action? What are the long-term, short-
\nterm, symbolic, and secrecy consequences ?<\/p>\n
* What are my obligations? These include promise-keeping and
\ntrust, which are important values in superior-subordinate
\nrelationships.<\/p>\n
* What do I think of my character and integrity? If you would be
\nembarrassed to have someone read about your activities in the
\nnewspaper -- or be uncomfortable telling your parents, spouse, or
\nchildren -- you probably should rethink your decision.<\/p>\n
* Are there other options to consider? There may be more than
\njust two alternatives.<\/p>\n
* How do I really feel about this situation? If your intuition is
\nbothering you, it probably means that something isn't right.<\/p>\n
Thinking about the what, the why, and the how of business
\nethics will be a good step forward towards effectively managing
\nethics in your professional life.<\/p>\n
The writer is an executive search consultant for Amrop
\nInternational, member firm of The Amrop Hever Group - Global
\nExecutive Search. (e-mail: jakarta@amrophever.com)<\/p>",
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