Ethical Decision Making

Justifying not doing the right thing is easy. One method to help evaluate and make ethical decisions is the Five Question Method.

Excuses and Justifications

Below is a list of excuses and justifications that may sound familiar.  The list serves as a reminder of how easy it is to justify not “doing the right thing.” 

• It isn’t hurting anyone…
• I won’t get caught…
• Everybody does it…
• The ends justify the means…
• Everybody knows how it really works…

Five Question Method

Ethical issues often arise in everyday life and can sometimes be confusing.  The “Five Question Method” is a valuable framework for clarifying and examining ethical decisions. 

1. Is it illegal?   

Consider all the relevant laws and statutes. If you have any doubt, get a legal opinion. Check whether ordinances have changed. Might other limitations exist? What are your company’s rules or prohibitions?

2. Who is affected by your decision? And how? 

Carefully identify all parties who have an interest in the outcome. How will they be affected? Will anyone be hurt? Who will benefit? Don’t just consider the financial impact. Is the decision fair? Can you discuss it with the parties involved? Would you choose a different solution if it were a spouse or child?  If someone else were making the decision and it were you who would be affected, would you want that person to do the same thing? Could your decision impact your client’s trust or your company’s reputation?

3. What are the consequences of the decision? 

What seems reasonable in the short term could ultimately cause more harm than good. Consider your decision within the big picture. What are the likely effects a year from now? If you’re tempted to take an unethical shortcut, perhaps you feel pressured to decide too quickly. Would you make the same decision if you had three days, or longer, to decide?

4. How do you feel about this situation? 

The fact that you’re having doubts about the ethics of a decision can point to trouble. How would others view your decision? If you knew it would be published in a newspaper, would you choose differently? Imagine the media reporting the story on the evening news. Could your motives be misunderstood or misinterpreted? Would you be able to justify your decision easily? What if your closest competitors were to act this way? How would you react? Could you tell a respected colleague about your decision? Could you tell your boss? Could you tell your family? Would you want your child to make the same decision? The bottom line is . . .  can you live with your decision? 

5. Have you examined all the alternatives?

Have you considered all the options available to you? To find the best solutions, gather as much information as possible. Seek opinions from those whom you respect for their honesty and integrity. Try to get a variety of viewpoints—not just from those who will agree with you. That way, you’ll be alerted to consequences you might not have anticipated. When you’re involved emotionally, your judgment can be affected. What may not be clear to someone caught up in an ethical conflict may be very clear to an impartial observer.

Has the dilemma ever been faced before? If it surfaced before at your company, how was it addressed? Was the decision a wise one? Was the outcome correctly anticipated? How is your dilemma like an earlier case?  What factors are different? What would be the impact for you and for your firm if your decision were repeated many times?

Some companies have Ethics Officers or Human Resources representatives who are responsible for company standards of practice. They are another valuable resource.