Kara Redoutey & Justin Clark

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?

Leaders are hesitant to ask clarifying questions because they don’t want to question another leader. They don’t want to appear defensive when asked to complete a task. They want to be perceived as team players and not as someone who refuses to help when asked. In some cases, they may not even want to know the answers to their questions.

What is the case for doing it anyway?

We must ask clarifying questions to determine whether or not a request is unethical. We must fully understand what we are being asked to do and why we are being asked to do it. Without full understanding of the request and situation, we are in jeopardy of making an uninformed or rash decision. If asking more questions will allow us to distinguish the difference between ethical and unethical behavior, then asking more questions is always the right path.

How can you do it?

1) Ask clarifying questions immediately. When someone requests you to do something, ask all the questions you can think of immediately. Take notes.

2) Ask probing questions later. You will not ask all the questions you will have immediately. There will be questions you think of later, once you have had time to reflect on the situation. Don’t be afraid to go back and ask more questions. Don’t hesitate to ask probing questions at this time. Read this article that outlines the difference between clarifying and probing questions.

3) Review and reflect. Review all the questions you have asked and the answers you have received. Reflect on this information and make an informed decision.

4) Talk to your mentor. Take all of this information to your mentor. Discuss the situation in its entirety with your mentor and tell him/her your recommendations for next steps. Your mentor will help you to determine whether you have thought of everything and if you are moving down the ethically appropriate path.

Justin Clark & Kara Redoutey

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?
Leaders are hesitant to put feelings in their place because we like to trust our instincts. We think that we have achieved the success we have in our career because we are savvy and can read people and/or situations well. While these feelings are not necessarily bad, they allow us to become reliant on our feeling in the decision making process and this can be dangerous. We may allow feelings of loyalty, or a desire to please someone to be the driving force behind a decision. Suppressing those subjective feelings and relying on objectivity can become difficult at times.

What is the case for doing it anyway?
Are all feelings a bad thing? Of course not! However, allowing something subjective, like your feelings, to be your navigational guide in the decision making process is at best risky. As leaders, we are trusted with the responsibility for making the best possible decisions for our organization. If we desire to do this, we have to make use of the best resources available to us. In some cases, that may only be subjective data and feelings. However, in most cases, there is objective and measurable data to support the decision that will deliver the best possible outcomes. These decisions may not be easy. They may involve people and their jobs. We must look past these feelings and make the best objective decision for our organization.  

How can you do it?

1) Seek objective data. As a society we are collecting and tracking more data than ever before. Odds are, there is objective data to support the best decision. 

2) Question your feelings. If there is little or no objective data, be sure to question what your true motivations are. Is your decision or action being driven by feelings? A sense of loyalty or a desire to please someone? 

3) Seek counsel. As always, when in doubt, you should consult a mentor or a trusted colleague. We all have identified people in our professional journey that we can trust to look out for us and be objective.

Kara Redoutey & Justin Clark

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?

Leaders are often hesitant to insist on transparency because they don’t want to question other leaders. They may not want to voice their opinion for all to hear. It is much easier to express an opinion behind closed doors than it is to make an opinion known to the entire team. Some leaders don’t see the value of transparency in business or simply don’t believe that transparency leads to results. Some base their leadership style on secrecy and only share information on a need to know basis.

What is the case for doing it anyway?

Research shows that transparent teams work better. Insisting on transparency and insisting that the task be shared with the team or added to the department’s task list will quickly cue you into the requestor’s intentions. If the requestor refuses to share their request with everyone, this may be a hint that what they are asking you to do is unethical. If the organization has worked on a culture of transparency, then there is no reason why the team shouldn’t be aware of the task. To explore a team transparency building exercise, read this article.

How can you do it?

1) Build a culture of transparent teams. Create task lists for all departments and teams with every team member having access. There is no reason to hide the tasks on which you are currently working from others. Ask for feedback from your team.

2) Insist on team involvement. If someone is requesting you to do something unethical, the thought of the entire team being involved may encourage the person to reconsider this request.

3) Say no to secrecy. When you stand up for your organization’s Code of Ethics and say no to secrecy, the requestor will be discouraged from asking you to do something unethical in the future. Remember to never agree to secrecy.

Justin Clark & Kara Redoutey

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?
Leaders are hesitant to resist the seduction of secrecy because secrecy in itself implies a level of achievement. If what you are working on, or have been tasked to do is being kept secret, then YOU have accomplished something because someone has entrusted such an “important” task to you.  It becomes about your ego as much as it is a need for discretion in the work place.

What is the case for doing it anyway?
Are there times when it is imperative to be discrete in making decisions or doing business? Absolutely. Some decisions and tasks require a high level confidence and respect for them to be performed. For example, the Human Resources team may keep many of their daily activities confidential; however, it is imperative for leaders to be as transparent as possible in how they do things. The veil of secrecy usually hinders more than it helps because it removes accountability from the picture. As leaders, we all benefit when we are being held accountable.  

How can you do it?
1) Ask questions.  Does the task you’re working on really require secrecy? Or is someone asking you to keep it a secret for their personal gain?

2) Seek accountability. As a leader, we should always seek to be held accountable. After all, we know that each and every one of us is fallible. We must seek out people to hold us accountable. Even if a decision or task requires the highest level of discretion, we can always find someone who is far enough removed that they can be objective in their evaluation while still respecting the confidence of the situation.

3) Embrace transparency. As a leader, we should conduct ourselves in such a way, that we welcome the light of transparency.  Our actions should be so far above reproach that if anyone were to observe us, we would not be concerned about what observations they would make.

Kara Redoutey & Justin Clark

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?

Leaders are hesitant to recognize their need to please because they don’t want to believe they want validation from others. Ambitious leaders want to show what they are made of and they want other leaders to recognize the results they are capable of achieving. Leaders don’t always recognize or simply haven’t yet learned that it is impossible to please everyone. They don’t always understand that saying yes to every request is driven by their need to please everyone. This can also include their need to impress others and to be liked by everyone. Leaders want to say yes every time and deliver results every time, no matter what is being requested. This is not rational.

What is the case for doing it anyway?

Your need to please could easily result in you making an unethical decision or participating in unethical behavior. Don’t let this happen. At some point, you will not be successful in making someone happy. You will not meet everyone’s expectations every time. You will not be liked by everyone and you will not impress everyone. You will not be able to complete every task in a timely manner if you continue to say yes every time. You will fail. The sooner you accept this truth, the sooner you will be able to say no when it is necessary and prioritize in a more effective manner. This will also allow you to say no more easily once you have determined that someone has asked you to do something unethical.

How can you do it?

1) Reflect on the situation. Do not make a rash decision. Think about your options. Reflect on the questions you have asked and answers you have received.

2) Find your motivation. Why are you saying yes? If this an area of expertise for you? Are you the right person to perform this task? Why are you being asked to complete this task? Don’t let ambition and your need to please influence your decision making process. Do not participate in unethical behavior to impress another leader. The satisfaction you get from completing the task won’t last, and soon the unethical choice will come to light.

3) Say no. If you recognize your need to please influencing your answer, just say no immediately. Be kind and thoughtful in this response. If you determine you have said yes to someone in error, return to them and earnestly explain why you cannot follow through.

How have you recognized and addressed your need to please?

Justin Clark & Kara Redoutey

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?
Leaders are hesitant to acknowledge the prevalence of cheating for two reasons. Either, we want to convince ourselves that everyone, at their core, is good or we would rather look the other way than confront what is going on right in front of us. 
What is the case for doing it anyway?
The truth is, people cheat. Everyone does. Maybe you cheat at board games, or maybe you caught a glance at someone else’s exam while you were in college, but everyone has done it. It’s a part of who we are. It’s in our nature to want to do what’s best for us as individuals before doing what is best for others. In a lot of cases, this manifests itself in ways that are relatively harmless (i.e. board games, cards, etc). However, there are many people that aren’t opposed to cutting corners to get ahead professionally. Maybe they cut a small corner the first time, but that corner leads to bigger and bigger acts of deceit. It happens and as leaders we should be compelled to do something about it. Not only do we have to acknowledge that it goes on, but we must seek to expose it and drive it out of our organization.
How can you do it?

1) Accept reality. There will be people who try to convince you that everyone is “really a good person.” Unfortunately, that’s just not the truth. Some of us are better at it than others, but we are all suppressing selfish desires to make more of ourselves with little or no regard for how it affects other people. It’s in our DNA. It’s who we are. 

2) Know what that reality means. Once you accept reality, know that people will cheat to get ahead. It’s human. As leaders, we have to be aware of this and be on the lookout for outcomes that may be the result of unethical behavior.

3) Question outcomes. Have you ever heard the expression “if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is?” Who hasn’t, right? Well, the same applies in the professional environment. If the result of a set of variables seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Dig in. Do some research. It’s your responsibility to your organization, your customers and your conscience to evaluate situations that appear to be the result of unethical behavior.   You must always try to determine whether or not the outcomes were achieved in a way that aligns with your organization’s ethical values, and if you find that the outcomes were achieved unethically, expose it and find a better way so it never happens again.

Kara Redoutey & Justin Clark

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?

Leaders don’t want to feel like they are being used. Leaders want to believe they are being asked for something because they are in a position of authority or because the requesting party needs their help. This isn’t always the case. Leaders should always suspect requests for special favors. Some individuals will choose you specifically to get the information they want, and they have likely chosen you for a variety of reasons. It could be because you know a better way of obtaining the information they are seeking or because they know if you seek the information, no one will ever know that they really want it or their intent.

What is the case for doing it anyway?

Suspecting and anticipating requests for special behavior will help you be able to identify those individuals who really need your help with a legitimate problem. It will also help you distinguish between those who are seeking you out because of your position of authority or those who simply want you to help them complete a questionable act.

How can you do it?

1) Ask clarifying questions. Make sure you understand the request and why the request is being made. Ask any questions that will help you determine the intent of the requestor.

2) Consult a trustworthy colleague. Always take your evidence and documentation to your mentor or a trustworthy colleague. This person will help you review the information and guide you in the right direction.

3) Consult the experts. The request will typically be specific in nature. The specific request will lead you to the right expert.

4) Say no. Once you have evaluated the request in its entirety and found it to be unethical or a “special favor,” just say no. Show the policies, share the expert opinions, and explain why you cannot follow through on the request. Invite the requestor to talk to your leader. This will likely stop them in their tracks.

How have you suspected special requests for special favors?

Justin Clark & Kara Redoutey

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?Leaders are hesitant to distrust authority because all of our lives we have been told to submit to authority. In some way, shape or form, it’s a rhetoric on which we were all raised. Who doesn’t remember being told to “respect their elders?” Probably no one. In the business world it isn’t any different. As a leader (especially a young one), there is pressure to follow the directives passed down to us with little or no emphasis being put on questioning those directives. After all, if you want to get ahead, you’ll do what you’re told, right? One might even argue that such a distrust for authority may be disrespectful. We would hypothesize that not only is it NOT disrespectful, it’s essential for protecting yourself from the pressures of the workplace.

What is the case for doing it anyway?In a competitive business environment, who stands to gain the most? You? Or the people in positions of authority over you? People in positions of authority have the most to win (and lose) in so many of the decisions that are made every day. A leader of unethical character may try to make use of one of their staff members to do their “dirty work” to get ahead. With that in mind, why should we blindly follow the orders of our superiors without so much as asking a single question? We are not advocating that you second guess every decision that your boss or a leader over you makes to the point that you become disruptive or even insubordinate. However, we don’t want to become lemmings who blindly take orders with no ability to think on our own.

How can you do it?

1) Ask clarifying questions. Be sure you clearly understand what is being asked of you. If you’re unsure, ask questions to clarify what the expectations are for you. You may determine that by asking a few simple questions, there is nothing inappropriate at all. 

2) Consult trustworthy colleagues. If you still have concerns, it is always acceptable to discuss them with colleagues with whom you have developed a positive and trustworthy relationship. Perhaps they can provide a different perspective. However, they may see things exactly as you do. In that case, you can work together to see what the best course of action may be to resolve your concerns.

3) Question leaders. Accountability is everyone’s responsibility. Though you may not be able to confront someone in authority over you directly, there are appropriate channels by which to do so. Perhaps you have a trusted colleague in a similar position of authority that you can go to. If not, other options may be the Human Resources department, an Ombudsman, or an ethics hotline that you can consult for advice about next steps.

Kara Redoutey & Justin Clark

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?

Leaders are hesitant to consult trustworthy colleagues because they often want to make decisions on their own. They want to show initiative and deliver results. Leaders don’t want to admit when they are questioning another leader. They want to solve their problems on their own and never show weakness.

What is the case for doing it anyway?

It is never weak to discuss a potentially unethical situation with a mentor or colleague. It is never weak to make the right decision and save yourself from the consequences of making an unethical decision. Mentors can share their experiences with you. They have likely been faced with a similar situation and experienced very similar feelings that you are now experiencing. A trustworthy colleague will give you sound advice. They can share how they have failed in the past so you don’t make the same mistakes. They will provide clarity to ethical blurriness. A mentor can be your guide through dangerous waters.

How can you do it?

1) Select a mentor. Choose carefully. Someone who knows the organization and has experienced a wide variety of situations is ideal. Your mentor should be someone you can develop a strong relationship with and trust to guide you in the right direction. Click here to read more about selecting the right mentor.

2) Question other leaders. If another leader asks you to do something that you don’t feel comfortable doing, don’t hesitate to ask clarifying questions. Make sure you fully understand what they are requesting and why they are requesting it. Make sure you have as much information as possible, before talking to your mentor about the situation.

3) Talk to your mentor. Your mentor can help guide you through the leadership process. In this case, two heads are better than one, and while you may possess all the skills it takes to be an extremely successful leader, there is one thing your mentor should have that you do not. Experience. Click here to read more about why a mentor is beneficial to your career.

How have you consulted trustworthy colleagues?

Justin Clark & Kara Redoutey

Why are leaders hesitant to do this?
Leaders are hesitant to view conflict as a signal because in most cases, conflict is viewed as an inherently bad thing. However, in the decision making process, conflict is a natural hold point that should afford you the opportunity to ask certain questions to ensure that your actions are both ethical and appropriate.

What is the case for doing it anyway?
Conflict exists when two or more parties in the decision making process are not in agreement on which “next step” is the most appropriate course of action. In each decision, the factors that influence the position of each party will be different, but it’s likely that people are going to take the position that best suits them and their needs. The introduction of personal or professional gain into this process all but opens the door for unethical behavior. By recognizing this motivation, you can see that any conflict may represent a signal that a party or parties involved in making the decision have unethical motivations.

How can you do it?

1) Ask yourself why? Try to evaluate why there is a conflict. What are your objectives? Are they the same as the other people involved?  What is it about the other person or persons that causes concern for you?  

2) Consult a colleague. Sometimes the best resources available to us are our colleagues who have been there before and can offer the wisdom of experience to help us. Don’t hesitate to consult a more seasoned colleague if you have suspicions that your conflict is the result of unethical motivations or behavior. 

3) Confront the people involved. If after the first two steps you still have concerns, you should discuss them with the other people involved. As leaders we must hold one another accountable and if you have sincere concerns about the motivations of a fellow leader, you’re obligated to confront them.

How have you viewed conflict as a signal?