Moral Dilemmas in the C-Suite: A Leadership Lesson on Ethics on the Frontlines

“In one hour, I am leading a call with thousands of frustrated colleagues from across the globe. And I have no idea what to say.”

It was late July 2019. I sat at a random desk in an overcrowded open office at Save the Children International ’s global headquarters in Trafalgar Square, London. I had just taken on the role of interim CEO during the summer. As the youngest executive team member, I had barely been part of the leadership circle for a year.

In that time, we had faced crises together—hostage situations in Libya, accusations of sexual harassment against the CEO of a member organization, and a deadly terror attack on our staff in Afghanistan. But today’s challenge felt different. The clock was ticking, and the global all-staff call was less than an hour away. Everyone was waiting for my words in a time of unprecedented tension.

The Global Crisis at Hand

The Trump administration had just further escalated the “Mexico City policy .” This rule required NGOs to certify they wouldn’t partner with anyone performing or promoting abortions anywhere in the world to receive U.S. health funding. For us, this policy wasn’t just a political issue—it directly affected millions of women and children we served. Not signing the pledge meant losing critical funding. But signing it meant compromising on a stance the majority of my colleagues felt deeply about.

The organization was divided. Many colleagues, especially those in Europe, wanted us to reject U.S. funding on principle, while others, particularly in the U.S., sought a compromise to protect crucial health programs. The stakes were high. Lives and hundreds of millions of dollars in aid were on the line.

And there I was, the interim CEO, tasked with leading the conversation.

A Moment of Reflection

In that moment of uncertainty, my mind drifted to an unlikely source: my political philosophy class in 2002. Suddenly, I was back in a hot and crowded classroom at the Eberhard Karls Universit?t Tübingen in a small town in Southern Germany. Professor Peter Mayer challenged us to consider two opposing ethical frameworks—Immanuel Kant’s deontology and John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism. Kant’s approach was clear: the morality of an action lies in the intent, not the outcome. Mill, on the other hand, believed the outcome justified the means. These two philosophies, I realized, were at the heart of our dilemma.

Suddenly, it became clear: this wasn’t just about funding or policy—it was about how we, as an organization, navigated moral complexity. Were we striving to be morally righteous or to make the best decision for those we served? That was the conversation we needed to have.

Taking Action in Uncertainty

As the all-staff call began, I opened with an unexpected approach: I explained these two ethical schools of thought to my colleagues. Together with our new Managing Director, David Wright , I laid out the choice before us—not just in terms of funding, but as a broader moral question.

“Do we want to be righteous or get it right for those we serve?” I asked.

The room was silent for a moment. By framing the debate through ethical perspectives, I was able to encourage a more nuanced discussion. The global call didn’t solve the issue overnight, but it helped open minds and shift the conversation away from binary positions. Over the following months, we continued with heated debates and tense board meetings. But we made progress, finding a path that served both our moral values and the people we worked to protect.

Lessons for Today’s Leaders

Looking back, that moment taught me one of the most important leadership lessons: when facing a crisis, it’s crucial to step back and reflect on the ethical principles that guide your decisions. As leaders, we often focus on immediate outcomes—what will protect the organization’s reputation or satisfy stakeholders—but we must also consider the long-term implications for those we serve.

More than half a decade later, as a startup founder, I still reflect on this experience. Now, as a startup founder, I see this challenge in a new light. Today, AI is transforming leadership development. But with this innovation comes ethical trade-offs. What risks are we willing to accept? How do we ensure these tools benefit our customers, not just the organization’s bottom line? The questions may be different, but the need for ethical reflection remains the same.

The Power of Stepping Back

Whenever you find yourself amid a heated debate or complex decision, take a moment to analyze the moral principles behind each position. Challenge yourself and your team to consider the consequences of your decisions on the people you serve, not just your organization's reputation. John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, and other moral philosophers may seem like unlikely allies in today’s corporate world, but their insights offer powerful tools for leaders navigating complex challenges.?