Just as people can develop skills and abilities over time, they can learn to be more or less ethical. Yet many organizations limit ethics training to the onboarding process. If they do address it thereafter, it may be only by establishing codes of conduct or whistleblower hotlines. Such steps may curb specific infractions, but they don't necessarily help employees develop as ethical people. Drawing on evidence from hundreds of research studies, the authors offer a framework for helping workers build moral character. Managers can provide experiential training in ethical dilemmas. They can foster psychological safety when minor lapses occur, conduct pre- and postmortems for initiatives with ethical components, and create a culture of service by encouraging volunteer work and mentoring in ethics.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for leaders to ask their employees to cross ethical lines. Though they may do so in an effort to enhance short-term results, for instance, or to gain personal benefits, they also run the risk of negatively affecting their employees' motivation and task performance over the long term.
Most of us think of ourselves as good people. We set out to be ethical at work, and we hope that in pivotal moments we will rise to the occasion. But when it comes to building an ethical career, good intentions are insufficient. Decades' worth of research has identified psychological processes and biases that cloud people's moral judgment, leading them to violate their own values, and often to create contorted, post hoc justifications for their behavior. How can we ensure that we will consistently do the right thing in our professional lives? The authors argue for a mindset shift to what they term "moral humility"--the recognition that we all have the capacity for ethical transgressions if we aren't vigilant. They suggest a three-stage approach for staying on the straight and narrow: Prepare in advance for moral challenges, including instituting proper safeguards; make good decisions in the moment; and reflect on and learn from moral successes and failures.
"I hate networking." It's a familiar refrain. But in today's world, networking is a necessity-and fortunately, an aversion to it can be overcome. Drawing on laboratory experiments and on studies at a large law firm, the authors have identified four strategies that can help people become more excited about and effective at building relationships: Focus on learning. Adopt a "promotion mindset" and concentrate on the positives, and you're more likely to perceive networking as an opportunity for discovery rather than a chore. Identify common interests. Consider how your goals align with those of people you meet, and networking will feel more authentic. Think broadly about what you can give. Remember that you have something valuable to offer, whether it's knowledge, gratitude, or recognition. Find a higher purpose. Frame your networking in terms of a larger goal-the collective benefits for your company, say-and the activity will feel more authentic and will lead to connections that bear fruit for everyone.