One of my favorite courses to teach at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University is ethics. The formal title of the course is “The Ethics of Advocacy,” and it’s open to upperclassmen who are starting to get real serious about what their own careers might look like in the next few years. Most of them […]
One of my favorite courses to teach at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University is ethics. The formal title of the course is “The Ethics of Advocacy,” and it’s open to upperclassmen who are starting to get real serious about what their own careers might look like in the next few years. Most of them have had a few internships — many at very prominent firms in New York, Los Angeles, or Boston. They are at that point in their lives where they really want to know how to succeed in the real world.
The course is structured around applying ethical decision-making to progressively more complex business problems. We look at more than 30 actual situations, and I often provide them with some well-masked situations that I’ve had to face myself. We begin by talking about our “personal frame;” our view of the world and what’s right based on our upbringing, religious background, position in society, and experience. From there we consider some rational philosophical formulas that come from Emmanuel Kant, John Rawls, Aristotle, and others. We learn about utilitarianism, utility, duty, rights and justice. We debate consequences, alternatives, excusing conditions, and special obligations. We have great discussions.
As these 20-somethings debate how business leaders consider their decisions, they begin to understand the sometimes complex nature of doing the right thing. The big decisions are easy — don’t pollute the river with chemicals from your manufacturing process, treat your workers fairly according to labor laws, and be sure you pay your taxes. Where the real ethical dilemmas come from are the myriad issues that are not defined by law — that are often not clear as to what is right or wrong. It’s at this intersection that the formulas we talk about in class help them avoid simply acting with personal instinct, instead taking a bit of time to consider all the sides of a situation rationally before acting.
Leading these exercises with them, I am challenged myself. Their idealism of what is moral and right may surprise you, their expectations of leaders are high, and many of them have no tolerance for people who take shortcuts. I am encouraged every semester that the world is in good hands with these students who are trying to figure out how to behave and succeed. They know that Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” and the “Wolf of Wall Street” are not the path to great leadership, yet they also understand the realities of pressure that lie ahead.
So, the next time you are looking to learn a bit about leadership and the application of ethical decision-making, strike up a conversation with a college senior. You might just be surprised what you hear.
Are you being heard?
Michael Meath is president of Strategic Communications, LLC, which says it provides trusted counsel for public relations, crisis communications, government relations, and business strategy. Contact Meath at mmeath@stratcomllc.com