From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership

WHAT IS LEGAL VERSUS WHAT IS RIGHT

Values not only create competitive advantages when it comes to developing the workforce or customer relationships but also can guard against damage. Consider the CEO lament: “I always thought that if what we were doing was legal, everything would be okay. As long as we adhered to the letter of the law, I never thought there would be a problem.” There wouldn't be a problem if the line between legal and illegal were a solid black, immovable boundary. The truth is that the boundary between legal and illegal is a fuzzy gray, ill-defined line—and it moves. When organizations allow their actions to hug the line, there is a great danger that one of these days, they'll find themselves on the wrong side, even if their ...