Negative ethics vs. positive ethics: part II

Due to much input from so many of you, I thought I’d take this difference to the next level of discussion. Now to refresh ourselves, simply put, negative ethics prevents a harm and positive ethics promotes a good. Now the question is: which one of these two options do most organization tends to “embrace and…

Where does the concept of “peace” and being “peaceful” fit into business?

Where does “peace” originate? Definitions of peace include calm, harmony ,freedom from strife, and tranquility. Peace, I believe, finds its roots in ones’ values, morals and ethics. There is no peace when all of these are not in alignment with those around us or the organization that we for which we work. I believe everybody…

Negative ethics or positive ethics: you get what you train for!

A few years ago, Marvin Brown wrote a great book titled Working Ethics. In it , he explains the differences between negative and positive ethics. The implications of these differences can have a tremendous impact on the results of your ethics training initiatives. In a nut shell, here’s the difference and my two cents in…

Whatever happened to Stewardship?

Stewardship needs to be a key focus of any ethics initiative. Yet, there are so many different definitions of stewardship so it’s hard to keep a focus.For the sake of conversation, here’s one that makes sense to me. Stewardship is what you do after you say you believe. Stewardship is consistency in action, not a…

Ethics is doing the right thing, at the right time for the right reason but..

There are a number of things to consider with this statement in the process of thinking ethically. 1. Is the word “right” subjective or objective? Is it based on the situation, a personage or values? 2. Is it easier to find the right time than it is to choose the right thing or the right…

When discerning what to do ethically, consider:

1. Identify the act/behavior that is causing the problem. -Ask why is it a problem? According to whom? Be clear on this. 2. What were the circumstances around this act? – Here you need to be clear about you know AND don’t know about the circumstances. – Why? Because what you don’t know can be…

Legacy Leaving: The what, the how, the why, oh my!

As I was babysitting my 2 year old grandson, Luke, today, I looked at him and wondered “who will remember me after I’m gone?” Who will remember me and hopefully my contribution to their businesses or lives? What about me will be remembered, by whom and why? The irony is it is all under my…

What good is a Moral Compass, if you don’t know where you need to go??

Much has been said and written about the need for having moral compass, myself included. What has occurred to me is if one doesn’t have a clear cut view of where one needs to go and how to get there, then what good is a moral compass? What would be its purpose? A compass is…

What a weekend in silence taught me about life and business.

I just returned today from my yearly silent weekend retreat. Each year I look forward to this experience to help “clear my mind”. No cell phones, no computers, no media of any kind from Friday night until Sunday afternoon. Complete silence. I find that this experience helps me prepare myself mentally in all areas of…

Sunshine Act, Ethics and Consequences

Yesterday, I was privileged to present to 1200 sales reps of a major healthcare company, a program on the ethical implications of the Sunshine Act. Premise: Transparency means having a reflective process in place and providing tools that allow honest feedback on one’s decisions. Consider these four focal points to keep that reflective process ongoing.…