It's a grey, grey world - Business Ethics Alliance

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? ? ? ? ? This week?s post is about resources ? where you may go to exercise your integrity muscles?.

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A very familiar Omaha face once said ?it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you?ll do things differently.?

The advice of billionaire investor Warren Buffett has resonated with thousands of business professionals in how they approach ethical decision making and integrity within the workplace.? Yet, from Mr. Buffett, it sounds clean, straight-forward, and simple but those who have walked amongst the business world know that most ethical decisions are not black and white.? When troubles arise, many people seem to turn colorblind and become lost in the complex problems of a grey world with no navigation skills.

Stan Horton, former chair and CEO of Enron Transportation Services saw firsthand how being the front page scandal is the smallest worries of those companies that lose their integrity. ?I experienced firsthand what happens when you don?t have strong business ethics, and the tremendous harm it can cause,? he recalls. Unfortunately, he adds, good people sometimes do bad things or make bad decisions. ?People need training,? he contends (Pegasus Magazine, 2011).

Research supports that if individuals understand the process of solving difficult ethical problems from the beginning, they are less likely to compromise their integrity for a solution.? This crucial step in integrity intention is supported by the Business Ethics Alliance and our online Resources page.? We have archived within our blog posts articles, videos, practice scenarios, and more for you to exercise your integrity.? More ? we have posted a page of links to many, well respect outside resources.

Here are just a few?..

KNOW THE BASICS

Integrity Dilemma Video

Where to draw the line between professionalism and policy vs. invasion of privacy outside the office?

Josephson Institute of Ethics in California

Advice on integrity and everything ethics from long-time business ethics leader Michael Josephson.

LEARN FROM THE BEST

Bob Levitt: CEO and President of General Service Bureau

Interview with Bob Levitt, CEO and President of General Service Bureau, who reveals from his first day the rewards, struggles and importance of ethical behavior in the work place.

The Ethics and Compliance Officers Association

ECOA is one of the best groups to connect with the ethics and compliance community.? Executive Director, Keith Darcy, spoke at the Alliance?s own Executive Breakfast in 2011 and wrote the preface to our Organizational Ethics? Course workbooks.

PRACTICE TO BE THE BEST

Ethical Scenario on Integrity and ?Gifts?:

If you were invited to a company paid despite pending payment on the completion of a project, what problems could you face by accepting this ?gift??

Center for Professional Responsibility

Located at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Gretchen Winter provides great resources, materials, and information to help guide companies on an ethics-friendly path.

Laurette Koellner, retired president of Boeing International who now sits on three corporate boards, gives similar advice as Buffet. If you feel you are stepping into a grey area, she encourages you to ask, ?Would you feel comfortable if this story ended up on the front page?? More importantly, ?Would your mother feel comfortable if this story ended up on the front page?? (Pegasus Magazine, 2011).

Those who have walked amongst the business world know that not every problem and decision is black and white.? One misstep can put you in the headlines and even out of business.? Research shows that regular ethics engagement will sharpen employee critical thinking skills ? the very skills that lead to making sound ethical decisions. When ethical dilemmas arise ? and they do every single day ? support your organization by arming your employees with the skills to navigate the grey world of ethics.

Post by guest blogger Morgan McVay, Creighton University 2014, Marketing and Economics with a focus in Psychology, Business Ethics Alliance Marketing Intern ? Greater Omaha has five business core values: Accountability, Community Responsibility, Financial Vitality, Integrity, and Moral Courage. These values were identified as being significant drivers of the business success Greater Omaha enjoys. Organizations wanted a way to enhance their ethics cultures so we have created curriculum around these values and offer ?$50 do-it-yourself presentation packages under the umbrella name Ethical Omaha. www.businessethicsalliance.org/ethical-omaha/

Source: http://www.businessethicsalliance.org/blog/its-a-grey-grey-world/

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