Ethics for the Real World
In their book, SDG founder Ronald Howard and co-author Clinton Korver explain how to master the art of ethical decision making by identifying potential compromises in your own life; applying distinctions to clarify your ethical thinking; committing in advance to ethical principles; and generating creative alternatives to resolve dilemmas.
Ethics for the Real World:
Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions in Work and Life
By Ronald Howard and Clinton Korver
Harvard Business School Publishing, 2008
We often make small ethical compromises for "good" reasons: We lie to a customer because our boss asked us to. We exaggerate our accomplishments on our resume to get an interview. Temptation blindsides us. And we make snap decisions we regret.
Minor ethical lapses can seem harmless, but they instill in us a hard-to-break habit of distorted thinking. Rationalizations drown out our inner voice, and we make up the rules as we go. We lose control of our decisions, fall victim to the temptations and pressures of our situations, taint our characters, and sour business and personal relationships.
In Ethics for the Real World, Ronald Howard and Clinton Korver explain how to master the art of ethical decision making by:
- Identifying potential compromises in your own life;
- Applying distinctions to clarify your ethical thinking
- Committing in advance to ethical principles
- Generating creative alternatives to resolve dilemmas
Packed with real-life examples, this book gives you practical advice to respond skillfully to life's inevitable ethical challenges. Not only can you make right decisions, you can acquire new habits that will realize the best in yourself and transform your relationships.
© 2008 Harvard Business School Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
