Ethics

I am preparing the materials for the MBA course I am about to teach: Legal, Ethical and Political Aspects of Business - and remembered how different some of the ethical mandates are for different professions. For example: Attorneys can have dual relations, Psychologists can not.

I'd welcome your input about the code of ethics governing your profession - and your business.

Negotiation - Conflict Resolution - Doing what's right

Since I will be teaching Conflict Resolution for Stanford Continuing Education starting tomorrow night (Thursday, June 23rd) I sent out an e-mail blast to my list. I received the nastiest e-mail back from a woman stating that she thought all conflict resolution (especially that coming from a University like Stanford) was to compromise with the enemy (and she named several of her choice enemies.) I disagree.

Working out solutions to disagreements does not need to be a violation of principles. Sometimes the only negotiation - or resolution - is to decide to disagree. Compromise - something I've never considered a good solution (it is selecting grey when one side wants white and the other black) - a lose/lose solution for both, is not a goodthing when there is moral/ethical disagreement.

Everyone should know their values and principles. Remember my article The Tyranny of Pleasantness. It is often wrong to "go along to get along" and doing or saying the politically correct thing is most often the cowardly way to live your life.

On the other hand,one should know the difference between stubbornly holding on to a conviction and being morally justified.

Spitefulness at Work

How often have you thought about using your managerial power to hurt someone else just for spite because they dared to disagree with you? Is that ethical? In the best interest of your employer? In your best interest as it furthers your own career? I think not.

Yet, people who are rigid and have to be "right" all the time have a tendency to punish others for disagreeing with them. If this is you, you might re-think your misuse of power.