In honor of this year’s Global Ethics Day, a celebratory event created by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, I asked 15 leaders from business, law, education and the arts how they make ethical decisions.
These successful professionals are from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Australia, and South Africa. This is how they responded.
Impact
“My approach to making ethical decisions is centered on considering how my choices will impact others, whether the decision will stand the test of time, and if I can feel at peace knowing I made the best decision possible based on the information available at the time.”
Hassan Jones, Ed.D., Head of Middle School, Collegiate School, New York, New York
‘’I make ethical decisions by actively considering long-term impacts, ensuring fairness, and prioritizing global safety. I focus on being transparent, accountable, and respectful to all involved.’’
Todd M. Price, CEO and Co-Founder, Global Counter-Terrorism Institute and Chair, 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. I aim to do no harm and add value through my actions, speech, and intentions to all affected the decisions.’
Gene Myers, Chief Technology Officer, Wyld Networks, Brighton, UK
“Ethical behavior is a discipline and practice towards the good of all. I am a disciple of the ethical code to do no harm as I guide music learners, run a small business, and aim for the good. How? Start everything with gratitude, examine motives, and act with integrity.”
Jane Schurter, Owner/Instructor, Ossia Music Studio, Normal, Illinois
Public perception
“I would be proud if my actions and the actions of Environmental, Health, and Safety team [that I manage] were to be made public, especially if that lead to improved employees’ health and safety.“
Sergey Konov, Ethics and Compliance Manager, ADNOC Distribution, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
“Every day I review our core principles, accountability, integrity, and empathy. I try not to compromise these values when making tradeoffs. As a last resort, I rely on the ‘Chicago Tribune test.’ I envision the details of my decisions printed in the newspaper for all to see. This exercise helps me stay accountable and consider 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. Firstly, I rely on the ethical foundation instilled by my parent’s guidance. Secondly, I employ empathy by imagining myself in the other person’s position. Finally, I trust my moral intuition rather than purely logical reasoning—heart over head.”
Krisztina Hodján, Senior Consultant & Technical Project Manage, EY, Budapest, Hungary
Respect
“As a harmonica player, I have been bandleader, member, hired gun, teacher and student. There are elements I owe those with whom I work, including myself. I need to respect their time and sense of quality. I must bring my empathy as music is a tender world.’’
Michael Rubin, Austin, TX
Reputation awareness
“I rely on my gut instinct, which has carried me through some of the most challenging and dangerous situations. The underlying current has and always will be to protect my reputation.”
Simone Stewart, Senior Consultant, Tier One Recruitment, Perth, Australia
A grandmother’s wisdom
“My grandmother once wrote, ‘Be who you came to be, love will guide you.’ This wisdom has been my guiding light. Love and character are at the heart of ethical leadership. Our gut and heart guide us to the right choices, and even when the path is difficult, doing the right thing always pays off. Character, just 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 over views…and more grandmotherly wisdom
‘‘I make ethical decisions by aligning actions with values, not views. Views change; values endure. As a child, I hated broccoli; now I love it. My view on it shifted. But my grandmother’s value of treating others with decency remains constant. I ask: Is this a view or a value?’’
Robert Berry, President, That Audit Guy LLC, Montgomery, Alabama
Clients’ best interests over profit
“In 2021 when low interest rates fueled a frenzied housing market, I prioritized my clients’ best interests over profit. I advised several to wait on buying, knowing rising rates could seriously hurt their financial future. I’m proud they’re still 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 State Bar Rules of my home state (Texas). The Bar Rules are numerous, and often rather convoluted. But essentially, all of these rules can be distilled into one rule, that being the rule I employ in my personal life, and sometimes referred to as the Golden Rule: ‘Do to others as you would want others to do to you.’ As trite as it may sound, it works.
David L. Willis, Attorney at Law & Mediator, San Antonio, Texas
“I try to be truthful, follow the Golden Rule, and be kind, though I’m not sure always succeed at any them. When I don’t succeed, it can be difficult to recognize, acknowledge, and learn from such mistakes. It takes humility and a willingness to accept corrective feedback, whatever form that may take.”
Winslow Yerxa, Author, Harmonica for Dummies and Blues Harmonica for Dummies, San Francisco, California
Since Global Ethics Day was created by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, I give the last word to its president, Joel H. Rosenthal.
True north
“When considering a course of action, I ask: What is my true north? What am I willing (and not willing) to do to achieve a goal, and how might those whom I respect judge my actions? It’s impossible to get ethical choices right all the time, and I’ve found that it’s 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