Managerial Ethics
Managerial Ethics How does a manager supervise ethics in the workplace in today’s business environment? What benefits will come of it for leaders and managers? Should a manager/supervisor be concerned with both moral and practical ethics in the work environment?
How does a manager “learn” to manage workplace ethical behavior? Is it from examples that managers become better at managing ethics in the workplace? I think that would be a hard lesson learned. If you have read the headlines lately, you will find that there are strong arguments for more ethical corporate leadership and to incorporate ethics into the work environment. But, what is missing is the "how to" in putting ethical goals into practical action. Why is this so…many leaders and managers believe business ethics is religion because it seems to contain a great deal of preaching? Or, they believe it to be superfluous because it seems to merely assert the obvious: do good! When someone brings up the topic of business ethics, it tends to bring up cynicism, righteousness, paranoia, and laughter. Many managers believe business ethics is irrelevant because too much time is devoted to ethics. That it can be non-productive. That training is not like the “real-to-life” complexities of unethical behavior in organizations.
So what is ethics? Simply put, ethics involves learning what is right or wrong, and then doing the right thing – Is it that simple? Most ethical dilemmas in the workplace are not simply a matter of "Should Jane steal from Joe?" or "Should Sam lie to his boss?"
Business ethics mean various things to various people, but generally it's coming to know what is right or wrong in the workplace and doing what's right -- this is in regard to the effects of products/services and in relationships with stakeholders, shareholders and stockholders. Which should guide how we ought to behave; e.g., values such as respect, honesty, fairness, responsibility, etc. Haven’t we all been taught this? So
How does a manager “learn” to manage workplace ethical behavior? Is it from examples that managers become better at managing ethics in the workplace? I think that would be a hard lesson learned. If you have read the headlines lately, you will find that there are strong arguments for more ethical corporate leadership and to incorporate ethics into the work environment. But, what is missing is the "how to" in putting ethical goals into practical action. Why is this so…many leaders and managers believe business ethics is religion because it seems to contain a great deal of preaching? Or, they believe it to be superfluous because it seems to merely assert the obvious: do good! When someone brings up the topic of business ethics, it tends to bring up cynicism, righteousness, paranoia, and laughter. Many managers believe business ethics is irrelevant because too much time is devoted to ethics. That it can be non-productive. That training is not like the “real-to-life” complexities of unethical behavior in organizations.
So what is ethics? Simply put, ethics involves learning what is right or wrong, and then doing the right thing – Is it that simple? Most ethical dilemmas in the workplace are not simply a matter of "Should Jane steal from Joe?" or "Should Sam lie to his boss?"
Business ethics mean various things to various people, but generally it's coming to know what is right or wrong in the workplace and doing what's right -- this is in regard to the effects of products/services and in relationships with stakeholders, shareholders and stockholders. Which should guide how we ought to behave; e.g., values such as respect, honesty, fairness, responsibility, etc. Haven’t we all been taught this? So