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Business Ethics - How can I give my ethics a check-up?

Home » Leadership » Introduction to Business Ethics » Business Ethics - How can I give my ethics a check-up?

First, ask yourself whether you are:

� Always ethical
� Mostly ethical
� Somewhat ethical
� Seldom ethical
� Never ethical.

Maxwell says that most people put themselves in one of the first two categories, because we like to think that we try to be ethical most of the time. And if we say we�re �mostly ethical� it�s because we like to give ourselves loopholes to get out of being ethical when it�s convenient for us.

Now, think through some different scenarios you�ve face in business. When are some times you�ve been presented with an ethical dilemma? How did you handle the situation? Recall your options, your initial feelings, your decision, and the factors that played into that decision. Were you 100 percent ethical in that situation? If not, what prompted you to act that way?

Now imagine you�re faced with that same situation�and with a desire to act ethically. What would you have done differently? And how would the results be different? You might not like the results, because it could mean you losing out in some way, either by financial gain, loss of reputation, or some other unappealing result. But being ethical isn�t about liking what befalls you. It�s about doing the right thing.

Now think through some situations in which you feel you�ve been on the receiving end of an unethical choice. What were the circumstances here? Why do you think the person made the decision he did that hurt you? And, here�s the kicker, how would you have handled the same situation, if you�d been in that person�s shoes?

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