Fifteen leading professionals from diverse industries share their approaches to dealing with ethical dilemmas, and show how integrity, empathy, and responsibility guide leadership in complex situations. From assessing the impact of decisions to prioritizing fundamental principles, these experts offer essential keys to effective ethical leadership.
These successful professionals come from the United States , Canada , the United Kingdom , France , the United Arab Emirates , Hungary , Australia and South Africa . Here’s how they responded.
Impact
«My approach to making ethical decisions focuses on considering how my choices will impact others, whether the decision will stand the test of time, and whether I can feel at peace knowing I made the best possible decision based on the information available at the time.»
Hassan Jones, Ed.D., High School Head, Collegiate School , New York, New York .
«I make ethical decisions by actively considering long-term impacts, ensuring equity and prioritizing global security. I focus on being transparent, accountable and respectful to all involved.»
Todd M. Price , CEO and co-founder of the Global Counter-Terrorism Institute and Chair of International Security Studies , Paris Graduate School , Paris, France .
Do no harm
«I take a holistic spiritual approach to making decisions in all aspects of my life. My goal is to cause no harm and to add value through my actions, words and intentions to all those affected by the decisions.»
Gene Myers , Chief Technology Officer, Wyld Networks , Brighton, UK .
«Ethical behavior is a discipline and practice geared toward the common good. I am a disciple of the ethical code of causing no harm as I mentor music students, run a small business, and aim for good. How? I begin everything with gratitude, examine my motives, and act with integrity.»
Jane Schurter , Owner/Instructor, Ossia Music Studio , Normal, Illinois.
Public perception
«A good test of an ethical decision is when I would feel proud if my actions and the results of my work were made public, especially if they led to a better working environment.»
Sergey Konov , Ethics and Compliance Manager, ADNOC Distribution , Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
«Every day I review our core principles: responsibility, integrity and empathy. I try not to compromise these values when making decisions. As a last resort, I use the ‘Chicago Tribune test.’ I imagine the details of my decisions printed in the newspaper for all to see. This exercise helps keep me accountable and mindful of public scrutiny.»
Brian Peckrill , Executive Director, William G. McGowan Charitable Fund , Chicago, Illinois.
Parents, empathy and moral intuition
«When I have to make an ethical decision, I always follow a three-step approach. First, I rely on the ethical foundation instilled in me by my parents. Second, I employ empathy by imagining myself in the other person’s position. Finally, I trust my moral intuition rather than relying solely on logical reasoning — heart over head.»
Krisztina Hodján , Senior Consultant and Technical Project Manager, EY , Budapest, Hungary .
I respect
«As a harmonica player, I have been a band leader, a member, a contractor, a teacher, and a student. There are things I owe to those I work with, including myself. I need to respect their time and their sense of quality. I need to bring my empathy, as music is a delicate world.»
Michael Rubin , Austin, Texas .
Reputation awareness
«I trust my instincts, which have gotten me through some of the most challenging and dangerous situations. The underlying current has been and always will be to protect my reputation.»
Simone Stewart , Senior Consultant, Tier One Recruitment , Perth, Australia .
The wisdom of a grandmother
«My grandmother once wrote, ‘Be who you were meant to be, love will guide you.’ This wisdom has been my beacon. Love and character are at the heart of ethical leadership. Our instincts and hearts guide us to the right decisions, and even though the road may be difficult, doing the right thing always pays off. Character, like credentials, is earned, and it’s what people remember long after the moment has passed.»
Tara Renze , CEO, Live with Purpose, LLC , Overland Park, Kansas .
Values above opinions…and more grandmother’s wisdom
«I make ethical decisions by aligning my actions with values, not opinions. Opinions change; values endure. As a child, I hated broccoli; now I love it. My opinion of it has changed. But my grandmother’s value of treating others with decency remains constant. I wonder: Is this an opinion or a value?»
Robert Berry , President, That Audit Guy LLC , Montgomery, Alabama .
Customer interests come before profits
«In 2021, when low interest rates fueled a frenetic housing market, I prioritized my clients’ best interests over profits. I advised several to wait to buy, knowing that rising rates could seriously hurt their financial future. I’m proud that they remain my clients today, now beginning to explore the market again.»
Sharon Caddy , Broker, RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. , Mississauga, Ontario, Canada .
The golden rule
«My business decisions are influenced and controlled by the Bar Rules of my home state ( Texas ). The Bar Rules are numerous and often quite complicated. But in essence, all of these rules can be boiled down to one rule, which is the one I employ in my personal life and is sometimes referred to as the Golden Rule: ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated. ‘ As trite as it may sound, it works.»
David L. Willis , Attorney and Mediator, San Antonio, Texas .
«I try to be honest, follow the Golden Rule, and be kind, although I’m not sure I always succeed at any of these. When I don’t, it can be difficult to acknowledge, accept, and learn from those mistakes. It takes humility and a willingness to accept corrective feedback, whatever form it takes.»
Winslow Yerxa , Author of Harmonica for Dummies and Blues Harmonica for Dummies , San Francisco, California .
Since World Ethics Day was created by the Carnegie Council on Ethics in International Affairs , I give the final word to its president, Joel H. Rosenthal .
True North
«When considering a course of action, I ask myself: What is my true north? What am I willing (and unwilling) to do to achieve a goal, and how would people I respect judge my actions? It’s impossible to always make the right ethical decisions, and I’ve found it essential to balance conviction with humility in any decision-making process. Most importantly, I try to remain open to reflection and correction along the way.»
Joel H. Rosenthal , President, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs , New York, New York.
