Nan DeMars’s Ethics Dilemma Audit
The following are the questions you need to ask yourself when faced with a potential ethical dilemma in the workplace.
Warning: Ethical dilemmas ahead!
1. Is this an ethical or a communication problem?
2. What, exactly, are the choices in this ethical dilemma?
3. How serious is it? Can you live with either potential result? Can you live with it not being resolved at all?
4. Will the dilemma affect your—or another person’s—job?
5. Do you believe that the “rightness” of a decision is “relative”?
6. Do you decide which action to take based on which course of action harms the least number of people?
7. Do you believe an unethical act is justified if it causes another unethical act to cease?
8. How would you feel if your resolution to this dilemma appeared on the evening TV news?
9. Can you explain your actions to your kids, spouse, or parent?
10. Who will this decision impact? What are both the potential damage and benefits to those affected? What are their needs, wants, values, expectations?
11. What are the alternatives to solving this dilemma?
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