Ethical Considerations This is the first of a two part blog on office politics. In this blog I examine what it is, how it manifests itself, and the ethics of office politics. My workplace ethics advice blog tomorrow will look at the effects of office politics in the workplace. Definition... Read more →

Turning Philosophy into Action Dealing with ethical issues can be perplexing. How, exactly, should we think through the alternatives? What questions should we ask? What factors should we consider? Classic ethical reasoning methods suggest that once we have ascertained the facts, we should ask ourselves five questions when trying to... Read more →

The Lost Art of Civility It seems today, more than ever before, we are witnessing uncivil behavior in a broad spectrum of society. We hear about basic rudeness; harsh words, expletives shouted at others, and seeking out others with whom we disagree to forcefully make our point or criticizing theirs.... Read more →

Freedom of Speech I imagine if you ask 100 people on the streets of just about Anytown, USA what is the Bill of Rights about 1/2 wouldn’t know. I’m quite sure they wouldn’t know how many amendments exist (27 to be clear). Most probably don’t know the exact wording of... Read more →

Should You Keep Extra Money From an ATM? A good philosophy to live by is stated as follows: “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching." This partial quote from Aldo Leopold (1887-1948), an American author and philosopher, instructs us to act in ways that... Read more →

Rest’s Model of Ethical Behavior How do we make ethical decisions? James Rest[1], a well-known cognitive-developmental researcher, developed a model of ethical behavior that is based on the presumption that there are four steps in moral development that lead to ethical action. Rest asserted that ethical actions are not the... Read more →

How to Know What the Right Thing to Do Is The Moral Point of View suggests that sometimes people have to set aside their own interests and act in the best interests of others. This notion of doing what’s best for others – at least some of the time –... Read more →

Missed Profit and Cash Targets Lead to Firing of CEO General Electric is in trouble. Last week it announced the firing of CEO John Flannery after 14 months on the job as problems developed in its power unit causing GE to warn it would miss profit and cash targets. GE... Read more →

Building a More Civil Society Through Civil Discourse The Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary defines civility as polite, reasonable, and respectful behavior. Linda Fisher Thornton, a leading voice in ethical leadership, suggests that “these behaviors are the ones we use when we treat others with care,” thereby linking civility with ethical behavior... Read more →

Is it Legal or Illegal? I have previously blogged about regulatory and ethical issues surrounding the use of cannabis based on whether states have adopted “compassionate use” laws that permit the sale of marijuana for medical purposes. I have also written on the sale for recreational purposes. In this blog... Read more →