Ethics
Coffee-Shop Talk…Making Confidential Information Public
Upholding confidentiality may mean different things to different people. But when a client's interests and reputation could be affected by making information public, you and your staff had better be on the same page. Even mere witnesses to a breach of confidentiality can bear some responsibility if a problem arises. So what are your options?
If Good Ethics is Good Business, What’s the Problem? By Frank Bucaro
Ethics is good for business. Research confirms this, and yet ethical lapses, issues, and at times, corporate behavior causes major concerns. Most people will tell you that “business ethics” is a contradiction in terms. “Impossible!” they say. “You have to do everything you can to give customers what they want and increase shareholder value. No one can put ethics before...
Is Your Ethics Training a Band-Aid Approach to an Artery Problem?
When issues arise with your ethics program, you have two options for how to solve them: the quick way and the right way. Be sure that you're not taking a Band-Aid approach to a serious problem. Just as you'd seek out a medical professional to stitch you up after an accident, you ought to enlist a properly trained professional to...
Drawing the Line on Accountability
Consider GM's latest debacle: the C-Suite claimed no knowledge of the company's use of faulty ignition switches going back more than a decade. And perhaps they didn't know, but they should have. Executives must be held accountable for subordinates' failings, so they must be aware of what's going on internally.
Is Classical Moral Philosophy Letting Us Down?
Business ethics is traditionally taught by college philosophy departments. Considering source material often predates modern business practices by hundreds -- if not thousands -- of years, this should raise eyebrows. The principles of classical moral philosophy aren't very helpful in today's business world, so why are they being applied?
The Value of an Ethical Culture
When it comes to compliance, the best investment a company can make is to create and promote an ethical culture. Dollar for dollar, communicating this message is the money well spent. A CEO has to commit time and effort to the program. If the CEO does not want to commit, the job will be much harder. A CEO who believes...
Which Matters More: Intention or Action?
I was reading a book the other day and came across this question: Which matters more: intention or action? It stopped me in my tracks, and I had to stop reading to ponder this question for a while.
5 Rewards — and Drawbacks — of Being a Whistleblower
Reporting wrongdoing at work will never be easy. So why do whistleblowers go ahead?
