Angelica LariosCEO| ALACONTEC, S.A. de C.V.Mexico Df, Mexico
You have a complex ethical dilemma on your project. You know what you need to do, but you are being pressured by your business executive and your immediate supervisor to not rock the boat. After all, these things happen all the time in your organization. How do you approach this situation? How do you develop the courage to speak up? What options do you have? Saving Changes...
As usual, it depends. If your direct line management is encouraging you to behave unethically, then if your organization has an independent HR function or a whistleblower line then you could leverage that. If not then it comes down to your confidence in being able to make it clear to your line management that you are unwilling to cross a line and be willing to leave the company if they don't see reason.
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1 reply by Angelica Larios
Sep 03, 2019 2:06 PM
Angelica Larios
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Thank you Kiron, agree with you. I think that personal values and ethics should not be compromised.
Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
My advice stems from personal experience - STAND UP NOW! I'm making the assumption that whatever your 'management' is telling you to do is against your beliefs and unethical so there is no other choice than to do something. As Kiron pointed out your HR or ethical committee might be options but keep in mind there are no guarantees. If this sort of thing is part of the company culture then there is a good chance that doing this will count against you. But whatever you do, you need to do it now before you become part of this culture and believe me when I say, it happens quicker than you would think.
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1 reply by Angelica Larios
Sep 03, 2019 2:14 PM
Angelica Larios
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Thank you for your contribution Anton. 100% agree with you if this type of things are part of the organizational culture, might be better idea to search for other options outside.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I agree with my fellow colleagues. Personally, when it comes to ethics and I believe there is a issue related to ethics, I do not submit to pressure and do raise the issue immediately. Anton nailed it with his feedback.
I was once told there were shades of truth depending on who your audience was. Also, "messaging" is critically important in both our personal and private lives. Think twice before you act, because despite having mandatory yearly "ethics cascade" training for all employees, and supposed organizational "support", I know of several individuals, myself included, who have had to live with the often and very real detrimental results of living by their ethical standards. Even with support of their immediate supervisors, I've seen cases where management sees such action as "disloyalty". Only you know if it is worth it professionally and personally. Hoping it works out for you.
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1 reply by Anton Oosthuizen
Sep 03, 2019 2:44 AM
Anton Oosthuizen
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Steve you are 100% correct regarding the consequences. At the previous company I worked at for many years I took a stand against unethical management practices, I spoke up against it, I took it to the ethics committee (guess who sat on this committee?) and in the end we parted ways, something I should have years ago.
But my last words out the door was this - I would rather be a street beggar who can tell his children that their dad always did his best to behave ethically than to sit in a fancy office, wearing fancy clothes while doing 'whatever it took' to get the job done.
Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Sep 03, 2019 2:30 AM
Replying to Steve Ratkaj
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I was once told there were shades of truth depending on who your audience was. Also, "messaging" is critically important in both our personal and private lives. Think twice before you act, because despite having mandatory yearly "ethics cascade" training for all employees, and supposed organizational "support", I know of several individuals, myself included, who have had to live with the often and very real detrimental results of living by their ethical standards. Even with support of their immediate supervisors, I've seen cases where management sees such action as "disloyalty". Only you know if it is worth it professionally and personally. Hoping it works out for you.
Steve you are 100% correct regarding the consequences. At the previous company I worked at for many years I took a stand against unethical management practices, I spoke up against it, I took it to the ethics committee (guess who sat on this committee?) and in the end we parted ways, something I should have years ago.
But my last words out the door was this - I would rather be a street beggar who can tell his children that their dad always did his best to behave ethically than to sit in a fancy office, wearing fancy clothes while doing 'whatever it took' to get the job done. Saving Changes...
Paul AzanorProject Consultant| Lagos NigeriaIkoyi, Lagos, Nigeria
I agree with all the comments here. Ethics includes such vices as honesty, fairness and equity.
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1 reply by Angelica Larios
Sep 03, 2019 7:25 PM
Angelica Larios
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Thank you for your comments Paul.
Saving Changes...
Karl TwortSenior Project Manager| Fresh EggUnited Kingdom
I agree with the majority here too. It's important to remain ethical and to flag this as soon as it is becoming an issue for you.
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1 reply by Angelica Larios
Sep 03, 2019 7:25 PM
Angelica Larios
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Thank you for your comments Karl.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
What does mean ethical? Ethic must be put in a context. Usually organizations give the context because they have code of ethics in place.
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2 replies by Angelica Larios and Karl Twort
Sep 03, 2019 5:52 AM
Karl Twort
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Agree, although the way the question is worded by the Angelica suggested there is a clear breach of ethics in this scenario. Your answer is valid and should most definitely be considered before taking any action based on personal belief.
Sep 19, 2019 6:24 PM
Angelica Larios
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Thank you Sergio. You are right, first ethics should mean the same to everyone involved. However, companies/organizations/entities defined ethics in their codes of ethics and values to delimit "ethical conduct" accepted or rejected.
Saving Changes...
Karl TwortSenior Project Manager| Fresh EggUnited Kingdom
Sep 03, 2019 5:43 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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What does mean ethical? Ethic must be put in a context. Usually organizations give the context because they have code of ethics in place.
Agree, although the way the question is worded by the Angelica suggested there is a clear breach of ethics in this scenario. Your answer is valid and should most definitely be considered before taking any action based on personal belief.
A friend who worked in Japan for some time said they have a saying; "a fish rots from the head". What ethical example are "we" (Federal Government employees) supposed to set and live by when our own Prime Minister has been found guilty of breaking ethical "rules"?
Unortunately, most organizations "talk the talk", but don't "walk the walk" when it comes to their own ethical "rules".
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1 reply by Angelica Larios
Sep 19, 2019 6:27 PM
Angelica Larios
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Hi Steve, you are right. And even better if leaders and organizations "walk the talk;" however, in case of ethical conflict that put our beliefs in jeopardy, I would suggest to ponder what is important to us "individuals" in terms of ethical values vs. the organization's values and if we are willing to go against our own code. Thank you for sharing.
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