Warning: Humans in the Workplace

An excerpt from Chad’s book “Thinking Aloud” which discusses another aspect of The Elements of Moral Action. We hope you enjoy the essay – and perhaps introduce the questions below as a way to start conversations with your teammates. – ELA Team

See a list of other posts in this series at Blog Post Series

Warning: Humans in the Workplace

When I began studying ethics as it is applied by business, I was introduced to a widely-held belief that business and ethics are inherently separate, and that ethics that govern our lives in general should not be applied to the world of business.  I have since heard the same argument applied to non-business workplaces, as well.  “There are no ethics beyond our agreement.  If it isn’t in our contract, we aren’t obligated in any way,” has been an argument I have heard advanced by both labor and management.  It is directly aligned with the notion that a person in business is governed only by the constraints specific to the business and not by what is called, by contrast, “ordinary morality or ethics.”

Our work lives are, by definition, a big part of our lives.  How, then, can we accept a notion of having one set of moral values for “work” and another for “the rest of our lives?”  I believe that we can’t.

I recently had dinner with an old family friend, who naturally asked about my work.  He made the standard jokes that “business ethics is an oxymoron,” and that books on the subject are works of fiction.  Chuckle, chuckle.  Then the conversation turned serious and, upon reflection, moderately disturbing.

My friend began by likening my work to that of the clergy – essentially positing that only the truly faithful (presumably, of any number of faith traditions) would really care about doing the right thing in business.  “Business,” he said with some passion, “is morally neutral.  It’s not about right and wrong; it’s about profit-making.”  In the interest of decorum, I said something about the deeply ethical business leaders I’ve met and changed the subject.

Decorum is overrated.  I am still annoyed, days later.

The notion that business and morality are separable isn’t new; the noted business ethicist R. Edward Freeman dubbed it “The Separation Thesis” in 1993, and it continues to be a lively topic of academic discussion in the business ethics literature.  In general, the separation thesis implies that business decisions are essentially amoral.  Some theorists have been arguing against that view, quite persuasively, for years.  I’m with them.

We spend much time and energy at work.  If we have different moral values at work, or simply suppress our sense of right and wrong there, what does that say about the totality of our lives?   Moral values constitute an important component of our identity and are an essential element of our humanity.  If we are forced – or worse, choose – to suppress who we really are in our work lives, how can we function effectively?  How can we feel good about our lives?

It is certainly true that settings and circumstances appropriately influence how we conduct ourselves.  Years ago, my elder son began playing rec-league soccer.  A few minutes into his first game, he left the field in tears.  Thinking he was hurt, the coach sent him over to me on the sideline.  Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt at all – he was enraged!  He had been taught not to push and shove, and that was exactly what the other kids were doing.  We had a quick, sideline talk about being aggressive on the field, complete with my pantomime of an attitude of aggression.  We also talked about the rules, and about going after the ball and not the other players.  He returned to the game with a clearer sense of expectations, and was jubilant at halftime, not for the goal he had scored, but because, “when other kids shoved, I just shoved them back.”  He remains a gentle person, though somewhat less so on the soccer field.

We are right to act differently in different situations.  Our relationships with family members and close friends are different from our relationships with co-workers.  Even within the business context, we are right to make distinctions based on our respective relationships (e.g., with supervisors, colleagues, vendors, customers, or competitors), and to act accordingly.  At the same time, a coherent sense of right and wrong ought to govern our conduct throughout.  If we truly believe that business decisions are amoral and suspend our moral sensibilities in making them, we would do well to remove the mirrors from our washrooms, rather than face our own reflections at work.

That process of adaptation – of acting in ways which are appropriate to circumstances – is perfectly consistent with maintaining a coherent sense of right and wrong across all circumstances.  It also speaks to the richness and complexity of a meaningful moral viewpoint.  We can be deeply ethical, and still be flexible, within limits, about how we engage the world.  If doing my job leaves me with a sense of moral discomfort, it is right for me to examine both my morals and my circumstances.  Perhaps I am being a prig, or I am confusing ethics with etiquette.  More likely, my pangs of conscience are indicating that I ought to change my actions or lead a change in my environment.  This may entail a transformation within a company, or a departure from one.  Pangs of conscience can be a powerful force for good in our lives, if we engage in critical inquiry when we perceive them.

Like youth soccer, ethical leadership is a team sport.  (Also like youth soccer, it can get messy at times.)  Members of effective leadership teams trust one another, to act from motives of organizational success, for example, and to speak with candor about what an organization ought to do and why.  If these leaders do not each have coherent moral perspectives, then the processes of reflection – and the resulting organizational improvement – are nearly impossible to achieve.

Great business leaders do not check their morals at the door.  They seek opportunities to act in accordance with their moral values, and remain open to learning and growing through experience and engagement with others.  Businesses grow stronger by embracing diverse points of view.  They also grow stronger by cultivating a coherent set of ethical boundaries and shared values that promote excellence in action.  It’s only human.

Conversation Starters

Consistent values and principles should guide us in all aspects of our lives.  How we apply them should sometimes be governed by context and circumstances.

• What leaders do you admire who apply ethics consistently in different areas of their lives?
• Do you believe there is any difference between morality in life and morality in business?

What happens to society when many people see the business world as “amoral”?

At Ethical Leaders in Action we believe that most, if not all people, can develop themselves to play leadership roles in many different spheres both large and small. The foundation of this development process is a short but powerful list of virtues which can be developed and improved through conscious effort. For more information feel free to take the Virtues of Ethical Leadership Self Inventory (VELSI) which breaks these virtues down into features that can be individually developed. The results of the VELSI come with a quick reference guide to help you understand how the virtues and their individual features fit together. https://ethinact.com/velsi/

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