Ethical Decision Making Models For All Leaders

As evidenced in the news almost every day, ethics are a challenge for every organization across every industry – it is worth taking a stand as a leader whatever level and work with your team to let them know you have a moral code and you will NEVER ask them to do something illegal, immoral or unethical. 

When asking a group to describe the characteristics of a good leader "integrity" is usually the first or second adjective we hear. Unfortunately, trust and integrity can no longer be assumed. It is your job to communicate to your team your values and let them know your commitment to doing the right things - always. It will empower them to do the same and eliminate any ambiguity when folks are trying to "get things done". If you are looking for some tools and guides to help you have that conversation or training with your team I would like to share a few here.

Now more than ever, our government, our businesses, our nation and the world need leaders of integrity and character. The West Point Society of Washington DC (WPSDC), local business leaders, and individuals are doing their part to give our next generation of leaders the framework and experiences to become those leaders we so desperately need for our future. For the past two years I have had the privilege of working with the WPSDC to volunteer for an incredible event in DC Metro. The West Point Leadership and Ethics Conference (WPLEC).  

Each year for the past 11 years, WPSDC hosts this annual conference. About 50 local high schools participate in the conference by sending over 200 juniors who have been identified as school leaders. Each learns how to deal with leadership and ethical challenges using West Point’s ethical decision-making model. It is based upon the model and framework taught to Cadets at the United States Military Academy. 

This first model I am sharing is a direct cut and paste from the training manual used at WPLEC.

The Ethical Decision Making Model 1. Define the Ethical Problem.

2. Employ Applicable Laws or Regulations.

3. Reflect on the Ethical Values and their Ramifications.

4. Consider Other Applicable Moral Principles.

5. Identify alternatives and consequences of each.

6. Lead To Implementing the Best Ethical Solution.

1. Define the Ethical Problem.

? Proceed from a general statement of the problem to specific statements of the decisions.

? As you take the following steps, new problems or needed decisions may become apparent. Be willing to add these to your problem list as you go.

? Examine the situation and identify who is involved.

? What are the circumstances, actions (commission or omission) and major issues?

? List the individual actions (or inactions) of each character and determine which are relevant to the issue.

? Distinguish primary, secondary and tertiary characters involved in the ethical dilemma.

? Is there a direct impact on you or are you merely in a position where you have to decide if you are going to do “what’s right” or “not”?

2. Employ Applicable Laws or Regulations.

? Laws, regulations, codes and other professional obligations are basic constraints within which official decisions are made.

? Until all relevant obligations are considered, ethical decision making is impossible.

? Although it is conceivable that an ethical decision could violate a law or regulation, such circumstances are rare.

3. Reflect on the Ethical Values and their Ramifications.

? Listing the ethical values at stake can awaken you to problems and goals that you may not have otherwise considered.

? It may alert you to stakeholders you may not have recognized.

? Listing the values reminds you of your commitment to them at a time when the stress of the problem may cause you to forget.

4. Consider Other Applicable Moral Principles.

? Moral principles contain an element of subjective judgment based on objective reasoning. Moral decisions may involve an implicit balance of judgment between competing objectives. Decisions may be a matter of judgment as to the implicit relative weights applied to the competing objective principles.

? Considering other ethical principles, besides those contained in the values, can be very helpful in understanding the relevant moral factors at stake.

? Principles such as the prevention of unnecessary harm & the non-combatant distinction help leaders to think about the reasons behind many of the laws they have to follow.

5. Identify alternatives and consequences of each.

? What are the choices? List the reasonable alternative courses of action for each significant character.

? Do any of the feasible options, if acted on, violate values or have a legal consequence?

? List potential justifications for the characters’ actions explicitly offered in the scenario or any implied legitimate justifications which avoid assumptions.

? Determine which option is best? Why? What is the justification?

? This will help to determine whether there was an ethical option available, or only the "lesser of two evils."

6. Lead To Implementing the Best Ethical Solution.

? Your actions are what count.

? Doing the right thing is usually not the easiest, most comfortable option.

? Your leadership will affect the immediate outcome, but the example you set will influence others around you.

? Most importantly, your acts, whether ethical or unethical, define your reputation and become the building blocks of your character.

Here is another good one from The Ethics & Compliance Initiative a best practice community of organizations that are committed to creating and sustaining high quality ethics & compliance programs.

The PLUS Ethical Decision Making Model. Seven Steps to Ethical Decision Making

Step 1: Define the problem (consult PLUS filters)

Step 2: Seek out relevant assistance, guidance and support

Step 3: Identify alternatives

Step 4: Evaluate the alternatives (consult PLUS filters)

Step 5: Make the decision

Step 6: Implement the decision

Step 7: Evaluate the decision (consult PLUS filters)

P = Policies. Is it consistent with my organization's policies, procedures and guidelines?

L= Legal. Is it acceptable under the applicable laws and regulations?

U = Universal. Does it conform to the universal principles/values my organization has adopted?

S= Self. Does it satisfy my personal definition of right, good and fair?

Here is another decent guide: The Ethical Action Test (courtesy of “Walk the Talk” and “Ethics 4 Everyone: The Handbook for Integrity-Based Business Practices”)

THE ETHICAL ACTION TEST

·       Is it legal?

·       Does it comply with our rules and guidelines?

·       Is it in sync with our organizational values?

·       Will I be comfortable and guilt-free if I do it?

·       Does it match our stated commitments and guarantees?

·       Would I do it to my family or friends?

·       Would I be perfectly okay with someone doing it to me?

·       Would the most ethical person I know do it?

A final one is simple and I learned it at West Point in the summer of 1985. The Three Rules of Thumb.

1. Does this action attempt to deceive anyone or allow anyone to be deceived?

2. Does this action gain or allow the gain of privilege or advantage to which I or someone else would not otherwise be entitled?

3. Would I be dissatisfied by the outcome if I were on the receiving end of this action?

Good leaders are ethical leaders – period. Use the information here to arm yourself and your team with the tools they need to handle grey and tricky situations.

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