This book was a good resource by providing me different points of views concerning the question, and by pointing out that it's not a simple matter of making a choice (for instance, one lead by intuition and emotions, as is recommended sometimes). The cases presented point to several kinds of dilemmas: the personal ones (choosing between what's right for you and for the organisation), the managerial ones (choosing between the organisation and the people that ore working for it) and the social ones (choosing between the organisation and the larger social system it's a part of). The book also points out different sources we have for basing our decisions on.
The problem remains that values and principles often point into different directions. Ethical choice techniques such as the "sleep-test", the "golden rule" and other sources of inspiration do not solve this.
Learning from that, it becomes clear why one should not expect to find the answers to your ethical problems in this book. Finding "the" answer is "impossible". In a "defining moment", you will have to examine which values you are committed to, these values will be put to test (will you go for their implications) and they will shape your future. I believe (with the author) that there are no easy answers to the *real* issues we are faced with. That's why this book shows in what way you have to search for your answer. Reading this book will at least allow you to ask the right questions and to look at various aspects in order to make a personal choice.
If I would have read this book earlier, my own book would certainly have included a reference to it.
What will I tell my customer? Well, writing the "code" won't be enough, in stead we should focus on teaching people how to make an ethical choice.
Patrick E.C. Merlevede, M.Sc is the main author of "7 Steps to Emotional Intelligence"
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How should you respond if you are offered an opportunity at work solely because of your race or gender?
This is a book about work choices and life choices, and the critical points-or defining moments-at which the two become one. A refreshing antidote to traditional feel-good, inspirational business ethics, it examines the right-versus-right conflicts that every business manager faces and presents an unorthodox yet practical way for you to think about and resolve them.
When making hard professional decisions, managers often use personal values as a touchstone. Badaracco asserts, however, that resolving such dilemmas is not as simple as the "do the right thing" school of ethics would have you believe. Defining Moments reveals an alternative approach that will help you tackle the more complex and troubling question of what to do when doing the right thing requires doing something else wrong, or leaving another right thing undone.
Drawing on philosophy, literature, and three case studies that reveal the increasing complexity today's managers face as their careers advance, Defining Moments provides tangible examples, actionable steps, and a flexible framework that you can use to make the choices that will shape not only your career, but your character.
Compelling, readable, and absent of ethical jargon, this book gets to the core of what makes being a manager so difficult. For new and seasoned managers alike, Defining Moments explores what it means-and whether it's even possible-to be a successful manager and a thoughtful, responsible human being.