Leadership (4)
Im vierten Teil unserer Serie zum Thema „Führung“geht es um ethische Fragen. BOB DIGNEN erklärt, wie ethische Prinzipien das Handeln und Verhalten von Mitarbeitern am Arbeitsplatz und auch die Entscheidungen eines Unternehmens beeinflussen.
The role of ethics
Ethics are not a common subject of workplace conversations. For many people, ethics is associated with ancient philosophy and abstract reflective thinking, which is seen as detached from the realities of work. Those who do engage in discussions about ethics are often regarded as advocating their positions too enthusiastically and self-righteously. Discussions all too easily turn into lectures.
Yet, ethics touch everybody all of the time. The question is simply how explicitly we choose to reflect on — and make conscious decisions about — the principles that govern our thinking, behaviour and collaboration with others.
In this article, we investigate the role of ethics in our professional lives. And we
look at different frameworks and dilemmas to help you to identify more clearly your own underlying ethics. This will enable you to navigate your path more effectively in an increasingly ambiguous professional world.
1. How relevant are ethics?
At its core, ethics is about defining what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s about defining the principles that govern our relationships and interactions with others and with the natural environment. We face ethical decisions every moment of our waking life. When asked to support a colleague when we ourselves are under pressure, should we be altruistic or more egotistical? Should we drive to work or cycle? Where do our environmental responsibilities begin and end?
Younger people are asking employers increasingly tough ethical questions. Look at the following questions and think about your own organization:
How does your organization choose where and with whom it trades? To what extent do your organization’s suppliers and customers fully respect human rights?
What impact does your organization have on the environment?
What policies does your organization have in place to promote equality, diversity and inclusion?
What is the policy of your organization with respect to health and safety when working in countries with low regulatory standards?
How does your organization protect its employees from the risks of stress and burnout at work?
2. Virtues and duties
Ethics has a long and complex history, stretching back to Plato, Aristotle and the beginnings of Western civilization. Back then, this area of study was concerned with developing good habits and cultivating virtues such as wisdom, courage, temperance and justice. More than 2,000 years later, such ideas were still relevant enough for American author Stephen Covey to write a global bestseller titled The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Concepts such as emotional or cultural intelligence also connect to the ancient
YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE ASKING EMPLOYERS INCREASINGLY TOUGH ETHICAL QUESTIONS