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Today, Wayne Turmel talks to Clint Korver, one of the authors of Ethics for the Real World- Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions In Work and Life. We also look at a 2500 year old business book. Plus an offer to get one of the first free copies of my new book!!!

Show Notes

0:00 Welcome to The Cranky Middle Manager. Today we’re talking ethics with no “yeah buts…”. Life is complicated but the rules are pretty simple. so simple, in fact we’ve known them for thousands of years. We dedicate the show to Tao Zhu Gong, business guru and still relevant 2500 years later.

2:43 Our quote of the week is from Tao Zhu Gong as well…. good advice is good advice. By the way, here’s an exciting opportunity to get a free copy of my new book “125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels- Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comeback from the Cranky Middle Manager Show”. Simply write and say why you listen to the Cranky Middle Manager, and what you like about the Quote of the Week. One answer will be chosen to go on the back cover of the book… and if it’s yours you’ll get a free copy. Just drop a line to wayne@crankymiddlemanager.com or post to the blog site.

4:00 Welcome Clint Korver, one of the authors of Ethics for the Real World- Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions in Work and Life. Ethics is a word that gets thrown around -and out- a lot. What is it and how is it different from morality? Ethics are your personal standards of right and wrong. Morality is the social code.

6:30 it’s the little things that try your soul…and your ethics. What harm can come from little white lies? Rationalization is the enemy, which is tough cause it’s also my best friend. How good are YOU at telling the truth?

15:00 There are three reasons we test our ethics: Prudentia (your self interest)l, Legal (letter of the law) and Ethical (spirit of the law).

17:50 What happens when your ethics and the situation don’t seem to coincide? You have to talk to your boss and lay it out. He gives us a good example from the consulting world….interesting choice. I have a horror story of my own.

22:50 Clint and Ronald suggest setting up a very explicit personal code.. how do we do that? Can you make ethical decisions with a matrix? Listen up. It’s one thing to have a rule like “tell the truth at all times” but then what are the exceptions?

29:30 Clint’s resources

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey

Don’t let the weasels get you down!

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