Or are you? Most people tend to think they are as clean as downy-fresh sheets drying in the summer sunshine. As with many areas in business and our lives, we tend to modulate along a spectrum. We strive and hope to be squeaky-clean, but sometimes we wander to the dark side depending on the situation, circumstance or outside pressure. In addition, being un-focused and lazy also causes one to forget to center themselves when it comes to ethics.
What makes you move? What do you do to center yourself? Where do you go? What do you read? Who do you talk to?
Here are some of the things I do:
- If I have a tough decision to make, I weigh the pros and cons, but I also ask myself, what is the 'RIGHT' thing to do here. I sometimes get a different answer.
- I read and frequently consult many authors to help me stay grounded.
- I attend gatherings of peers to discuss business ethics — one meeting I treasure is The Greenwich Leadership Forum. If you live nearby (I travel an hour to attend), you should check it out. They meet monthly and I find it a powerful experience every time.
Finally, I write about my thoughts on business ethics — it allows me to broadcast my ethical philosophy to the world and get input from my peers.
Here are some of my favorite (and most popular posts):
Ethics – The Only Way To Be A True Leader Can executives still achieve greatness if they do the right thing?
Ethical Leadership – Start With Gut Instinct “I rely far more on gut instinct than researching huge amounts of statistics.” – Richard Branson
Ethical Leadership — You Need A Mentor “Mentor: Someone whose hindsight can become your foresight.”
Ethical Leadership — You Need A Mastermind Group You should regularly assemble a group to help you learn, understand and grow.
Losing Your Compass? Try Simple Philosophy “The higher the buildings, the lower the morals.” – Noel Coward
Lots of Enemies? Make Friends With The Press Hear me out — there is a logic to my madness.
I'd love your input, thoughts and reviews of my posts. Feel free to comment below!