Ethics 101: What Every Leader Needs To Know 
asked by tubi on November 16, 2006 12:17 PM
Bestselling author and expert on leadership John C. Maxwell shares the only rule that matters-in business and in life. How does a person judge what is ethical?Sometimes it's clear. In the past year or two, ethical lapses in corporate America have been well documented. But is it always easy to see where the line is in life? What's the standard?And can it work in all situations? Maxwell thinks it can. In ETHICS 101, he shows how people can live with integrity by using the Golden Rule as their standard-regardless of religion, culture, or circumstances. Along the way, he delves into the desires of the human heart, reveals the five most common pitfalls that throw people off the ethical track, and teaches how to develop the Midas touch when it comes to personal integrity.
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This book (whose original title was "There's No Such Thing as `Business' Ethics") by leadership expert John C. Maxwell is an easy-to-read, small book that states that ethics is not complicated. Maxwell explains:
"Ethics is ethics. If you desire to be ethical, you live by one standard across the board...Educators, philosophers, theologians, and lawyers have taken what is a simple matter and made it very confusing...This book's goal is to help you find the way to live and work ethically and also achieve greater success."
The one "standard" Maxwell recommends using in all situations is the Golden Rule: the precept that one should behave toward others as one would want others to behave toward oneself.
Maxwell does a good job in explaining why the Golden Rule is the standard to be used in all situations. However, the only situation he uses in his numerous, true, effective example stories is the type (RIGHT versus WRONG). For example, a cashier gives you too much change. The WRONG thing to do is to keep the extra change. The RIGHT thing to do is thus to give the extra change back.
The author gives many quotations from prominent people to get his points across. One of my favorites is a quotation from Ted Koppel:
"There's harmony and inner peace to be found in following a moral compass [he's referring to the Golden Rule] that points in the same direction regardless of fashion or trend."
Maxwell touches on the fact that all people are not the same and that the rule may have to be slightly altered to accommodate them.
A feature of this book is that certain important summary points are taken out of the main narrative and bordered between two horizontal lines for easy reference. I counted almost forty of these peppered throughout the book. Here are two examples:
(1) "There are really two important points when it comes to ethics. The first is a standard to follow. The second is the will to follow it."
(2) "Every day, whenever the issue of ethical behavior confronts you, ask this question: `How would I like to be treated in this situation?'"
As mentioned, Maxwell effectively explains the use of the Golden Rule in (RIGHT versus WRONG) situations. However, he does not explain how to use the rule in (RIGHT versus RIGHT) situations. This is called the ethical dilemma. To be fair, Maxwell does mention the ethical dilemma but his explanation of it is rather simplistic.
Here is an example of a dilemma. You are asked in your high-paying job to do something you feel is not right or else be fired. (It took years of hard work to get the high pay you're now getting.) The RIGHT thing to do according to the golden rule is to quit your job and get another lower paying one. However, there are ill members of your family who depend on your high income. So the RIGHT thing to do is not to quit your job. Maxwell spends no time in explaining such situations.
Despite not explaining how to handle dilemma situations, I still feel that this is a useful book that takes the technical jargon out of understanding ethics. Maxwell gives numerous true cases that prove how the Golden Rule builds morale, increases productivity, encourages teamwork, lowers employee turnover, and keeps clients coming back.
In conclusion, this is an effective book that explains some major ethical concepts. It demonstrates how doing the right thing is the best way to live and fosters a winning situation for all!!
(first published 2003; acknowledgements; preface; 7 chapters; conclusion; main narrative 105 pages; notes)
+++++
This book (whose original title was "There's No Such Thing as `Business' Ethics") by leadership expert John C. Maxwell is an easy-to-read, small book that states that ethics is not complicated. Maxwell explains:
"Ethics is ethics. If you desire to be ethical, you live by one standard across the board...Educators, philosophers, theologians, and lawyers have taken what is a simple matter and made it very confusing...This book's goal is to help you find the way to live and work ethically and also achieve greater success."
The one "standard" Maxwell recommends using in all situations is the Golden Rule: the precept that one should behave toward others as one would want others to behave toward oneself.
Maxwell does a good job in explaining why the Golden Rule is the standard to be used in all situations. However, the only situation he uses in his numerous, true, effective example stories is the type (RIGHT versus WRONG). For example, a cashier gives you too much change. The WRONG thing to do is to keep the extra change. The RIGHT thing to do is thus to give the extra change back.
The author gives many quotations from prominent people to get his points across. One of my favorites is a quotation from Ted Koppel:
"There's harmony and inner peace to be found in following a moral compass [he's referring to the Golden Rule] that points in the same direction regardless of fashion or trend."
Maxwell touches on the fact that all people are not the same and that the rule may have to be slightly altered to accommodate them.
A feature of this book is that certain important summary points are taken out of the main narrative and bordered between two horizontal lines for easy reference. I counted almost forty of these peppered throughout the book. Here are two examples:
(1) "There are really two important points when it comes to ethics. The first is a standard to follow. The second is the will to follow it."
(2) "Every day, whenever the issue of ethical behavior confronts you, ask this question: `How would I like to be treated in this situation?'"
As mentioned, Maxwell effectively explains the use of the Golden Rule in (RIGHT versus WRONG) situations. However, he does not explain how to use the rule in (RIGHT versus RIGHT) situations. This is called the ethical dilemma. To be fair, Maxwell does mention the ethical dilemma but his explanation of it is rather simplistic.
Here is an example of a dilemma. You are asked in your high-paying job to do something you feel is not right or else be fired. (It took years of hard work to get the high pay you're now getting.) The RIGHT thing to do according to the golden rule is to quit your job and get another lower paying one. However, there are ill members of your family who depend on your high income. So the RIGHT thing to do is not to quit your job. Maxwell spends no time in explaining such situations.
Despite not explaining how to handle dilemma situations, I still feel that this is a useful book that takes the technical jargon out of understanding ethics. Maxwell gives numerous true cases that prove how the Golden Rule builds morale, increases productivity, encourages teamwork, lowers employee turnover, and keeps clients coming back.
In conclusion, this is an effective book that explains some major ethical concepts. It demonstrates how doing the right thing is the best way to live and fosters a winning situation for all!!
(first published 2003; acknowledgements; preface; 7 chapters; conclusion; main narrative 105 pages; notes)
+++++
reviewed by faithfulone on November 18, 2006 5:15 PM
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Author John C. Maxwell has spent years thinking about leadership and ethical action, and it shows. In this short volume, he condenses his years of reflection into clear, accessible principles that any reader can immediately apply. He supports his points with anecdotes, and with quotes from sacred texts and authors from a variety of cultures. His clarity makes his work bold. There's no way you could mistake what he's saying, and that's refreshing, especially given contemporary concerns about corporate governance. While the simplicity and brevity of the book makes it broadly accessible, we especially recommend it to two readerships: those already dedicated to living ethically, who are looking for tools to apply, and those who are skeptical about the utility of ethics. The book (which was previously published as "There's No Such Thing as Business Ethics") has only two real weaknesses. The first is that Maxwell's definition of an ethical dilemma is far too simple, and he treats it too briefly. (What do we do when love and duty clash? What do we do when directly ordered to do something unethical by a superior, who thinks the action is correct - and someone else depends upon our income?) The second is that Maxwell discusses how to treat others as if we were all the same deep down. Perhaps we are - but he doesn't fully address the many personal and cultural differences that one must negotiate along the way. Our moral dilemma: is it right to dwell on such relatively minor flaws in a book we basically respect, agree with, appreciate and recommend warmly? You be the judge.
reviewed by soulful on November 22, 2006 9:47 PM