O.D. Institute Newsletter

December 2009

Ethics at Work and in Organization Development

Terry R. Armstrong, RODC

As our society becomes more complex and more and more people work in the professions, we are finding that ethical issues are critical to the functioning of our lives at work.  All of the professions—medicine, law, accounting, teaching, business, and organization development are experiencing a renaissance in ethics due to the nature of modern work.  The world of work is now center stage in the human struggle to determine what is right or what ought to be done. 

It is too often assumed that issues at work are seldom ethical.  We may expect them to be legal, technical, political or practical, but we often ignore the moral content of the thousands of decisions made daily within businesses and organizations.  This way of thinking assumes that decisions at work are primarily non-moral and only those that pertain to our individual actions are moral, which in turn relates to our individual views of morality.  However, whenever the question ought or should is raised, the questioner has strayed into an ethical arena even though he or she may attempt to answer the questions by how it influences the bottom line or if the action is legal.  Here are a few ethical questions asked daily in the work places:

• Which of the six people should get the promotion?
• What should we do, doctor?
• What position should I take during the negotiations?
• How ought I deal with the conflict between Joe and Mary?
• Should this accounting procedure be changed?
• Do we have adequate resources to expand our markets into new areas?
• Can I use the office computer for my personal use?
• Which contractor should we use on this project?
• Who should get overtime?
• Is this the best use of this valuable resource?
• Should I object to project X?
• Is it necessary to develop a policy regarding contributions to political candidates?
• Who will get hurt if we don't establish this safety procedure?

• How will our survey data be used?

These simple questions should make it evident that ethical issues permeate the world of work.  The above questions only touch the surface.  These questions deal primarily with personal issues, but there is also a growing concern that corporations act ethically and even that governments, political, and economic instituions be ethical.  Some of the macro-ethical questions are even more difficult to answer?  They include such questions as:

• What responsibility do shareholders have for corporate behavior?
• Should corporations be responsible for the environment?
• What responsibility do organizations have for dealing with the poor?
• Can capitalism be morally justified?
• Does the government have the right to regulate the economy?
• What ought to be the primary purpose of business?
• Are employers responsible for job-induced illness?
• Do banking practices create irregularities in the economy?
• Who is responsible for the destruction of the biosphere?
• Are accounting practices responsible for the decline of productivity?

One can quickly see that these macro-ethical issues raise fundamental questions concerning the organization of business society and even our careers.  They are not questions that we feel comfortable with and many would just as soon not hear them.  Becoming aware of ethical issues can be bothersome because once we become cognizant that we may not be acting ethically we often feel it necessary to change our own behavior and to hold others accountable.

Back in 1984 Dr. William Gellerman, RODC, won The Outstanding O.D. Consultant of The Year Award for developing the O.D. Code of Ethic. By that time he had already been working on developing the code for a number of years; he has continued to work on its further development.  In the 2009 edition of The International Registry of Organization Development Professionals and Organization Development Handbook the O. D. Institute published the 22nd Revision of the O.D. Code of ethics.  If you have not have read it in awhile I would suggest you pull out you copy of the Registry and read it.  It’s on pages 54-58.  If you don’t have the Registry handy then you can find it on the O.D. Institute’s website at http://www.odinstitute.org.  On the Home Page you will find a link to the code of ethics.  Now just how easy is that?

After you have read or reread The International Organization Development Code of Ethics take a few minutes to silently reflect on how this code applies to you, your practice, and your clients work environment.  I am well aware that some of our members claim the O.D. Institute has no way to insure that its members adhere to this code of ethics.  Though Don Cole has worked many hours over many years to make O.D. a profession it is true that we still aren’t a profession though definitely we are a definable practice and even and academic discipline.  Nevertheless, those of use who take our practice/discipline seriously need to stop at least once a year and reflect on how we are doing individually and collectively.

Over the Holliday Season I challenge you to read The International Organization Development Code of Ethics.  Then take at least 20 minutes and think about how the code applies to you and your discipline. Try this on as a kind of professional meditation.  Maybe it will even become a regular practice before you take on a new client or project. 

If you come up with new insights and want to share your thoughts with the O.D. Institutes community, then please write me so I can publish them in the newsletter.

Take care, and have a wonderful Holiday Season.