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Ethics Involve Personal Choice

August 9, 1999

"Virtue may be its own reward, but this may not be the case in some workplaces.  We all face ethical dilemmas on the job, whether they involve us directly or indirectly.  In today's competitive workplace, the distinction between shrewd and shady may be indiscernible.

The 'wrongness' of an action may be determined only by degree - we rationalize some actions because they're for the greater good, they don't hurt anyone specifically, or that we need to keep a job.  What may be unethical may not necessarily be illegal.

The decisions to engage in or abet unethical behavior are often difficult.  There's one thing that all of these dilemmas have in common - the element of choice.

If you're faced with an ethical dilemma, use these steps to guide your decision:

*Summarize the situation.
*Identify your concerns.
*Determine your options.

Going through this process demands complete candor with yourself.  If you're still unsure which route to take, consider these questions:
*Is your choice legal?
*Could you tell your parents, mate, or children about your activities?
*Would you feel comfortable reading about your actions on the front page of the
  local newspaper?
*Could you live with your decision and look at yourself in the mirror every
  morning?
*Are you comfortable with what your decision says about you as a person?

Most of us have a sense of what is right and wrong, fair and unfair.  Ultimately, we might get away with questionable behavior, but we still have to answer to ourselves.  Difficult as a situation may be, there's one thing for sure - each of us always has options (Leland, 1994, p.1)."

Reference:  Leland, D.  (1994, April 31). Ethics involve personal choice.  Teamwork: Your Personal Guide to Working Successfully with People.

* Teamwork: Your Personal Guide to Working Successfully with People is available on loan at the OSU Leadership Center.  A listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~leaders

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Created: 2009-01-06, Updated: 2009-01-16