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Ethical Challenges

In Wake of Libby Indictment, Quality Media Resources Offers Scenarios to Help Organizations Consider Ethical Decision-Making

Are the decisions you're making ethical? Are you sure?

Quality Media Resources (QMR) is challenging you to examine this a bit closer. This workplace training company has recently released "Compliance is Just the Beginning," a program that presents a 3-step process for making better ethical decisions.

For example, say you know a bit of gossip regarding someone you don't particularly like who works for a division of your organization. Over a chat with a friend, outside of work, you reveal what you know. You do this even though spreading this information around may have a negative impact on the subject of the gossip. Ethical or not?

This kind of scenario is very much in the news. Robert Rosell, President of QMR, thinks if I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby had evaluated if his actions were ethical instead of limiting his concerns to whether or not he was crossing a legal line, he might not be facing criminal charges today.

Oftentimes we make decisions without considering the far-reaching ramifications of our actions. How will the decisions we make impact our employer? What will our friends, family, and the community think when our decisions finally come to light?

"In today's world our actions rarely remain secret, so it's important to always consider the big picture when making any decision," said Rosell. "Many people make poor choices based on the assumption that no one will ever know or that they aren't hurting anyone. If that kind of justification pops into your head when making an ethical judgment, you need to step back and examine the situation more carefully."

But isn't making an ethical decision as easy as knowing the difference between right and wrong? As long as what you're doing is legal or isn't intended to hurt anyone, isn't it okay? Consider these scenarios and what you would do:

SCENARIO #1

One of your associates comes to you saying he has witnessed some strange behavior out of another department's manager who happens to be from the Middle East. This person has always had a bond with a few other Arab employees, and when together they usually speak in their native language even when around English-speaking colleagues.

During lunch your associate saw this person and his friends looking at some architectural plans for what appeared to be a major landmark building downtown. The plans were quickly covered up when they noticed him nearby. Your associate wants you to do something and believes this fellow might be planning some kind of catastrophic terrorist attack. Do you report his suspicions to the authorities and risk ruining the career and reputation of someone whose actions might be completely innocent? What if you say nothing and this group really are terrorists?

SCENARIO #2

After a year out of work, you've finally found a new job. It's in your field, offers a great salary, and you really like your new co-workers. As your first assignment you've been charged with updating all of the company's technology systems. In a check of the current packages being used, you discover that one license for a very important and expensive piece of software is being used on several computers. You go to your manager about this and she explains that the company was having some financial trouble a couple years ago and couldn't afford to purchase separate licenses for each workstation. She assures you that during your revamp of the systems separate licenses will be purchased. You still feel uneasy about the fact you found pirated software on your new company's computers. What do you do?

SCENARIO #3

Your best friend, who also happens to be a co-worker, just got married. While he and his new wife are on their honeymoon, your mutual supervisor pulls you into her office to share that the rumors of a corporate buyout are true and that there are layoffs on the horizon. After assuring you that your job is safe, she asks you to take some time to become familiar with the projects your friend has been working on. When you ask why she shares with you that your friend will be one of the first to be affected by the coming layoffs. She asks you to keep this information a secret.

Later that day, your friend calls with the big news that he and his wife have just put down an offer on a new house. The down payment ate almost all of their savings and it was a bit more than they wanted to spend, but they can afford it with both of their salaries. Do you tell your friend what you were told in confidence to save him from a possible financial catastrophe or risk your friendship when he finds out that you knew all along and said nothing?

These scenarios are examples of the kinds of dilemmas presented in QMR's "Compliance is Just the Beginning" workplace training video series. They are intended to encourage discussion and critical thinking about how the decisions we make can have a ripple effect that may go well beyond the immediate situation we're facing. "Compliance is Just the Beginning" outlines a process for making ethical decisions that can be applied in every aspect of our lives.

Central to the 3-step process is considering a decision's "ripple effect" -- how it is likely to impact all those affected assuming that the choice you have made will become widely known. If Mr. Libby had assumed that his decision to speak with several journalists about the identity of Valerie Plame would become widely known, and had considered the possible impacts on national security, Ms. Plame, the administration and his career, would he still have taken the steps he did?

When people are only concerned with not breaking laws, they often end up tiptoeing up to the legal limits and, as we have seen over and over again, stepping across the line. How many other recent corporate and government scandals would have been avoided if more attention had been paid to making decisions that are ethical as well as legal?

FEDEX, the US Air Force, Wells Fargo Capital, Head Start, VA Medical Centers, 3M, Flowers Foods, SBM Financial, the State of Colorado, New York State Court Administration, the Federal Judicial Center, Ohio State University and Solvay Pharmaceutical are just a few of the reputable organizations already using QMR's program to help employees make better ethical decisions.

QMR -- The Respectful Workplace Company, was established in 1992. Under the leadership of founders Robert and Patricia Rosell, the company produces training programs that assist organizations in developing respectful and productive workplace relationships. Other programs include "Dialogue -- Now You're Talking!" "The Diversity Series," "Email Essentials," "You Can STOP Harassment," and "The 5 Values of Great Customer Service."

QMR training programs have won many national and international industry awards and have been used by over 15,000 major corporations and government agencies in 15 countries including most of the Fortune 500.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information, to speak with a QMR representative, or to request a program for media review, please contact Ginger Vaughan via e-mail (ginger@quinnbrein.com) or at 206-842-8922.

Distributed by Market Wire