Reader Question: My whole team has proposed a course of action, but I believe that the stance is unethical, how should I react? Should I voice my reaction sooner or later?
Our Response: When working in teams, it is so hard to know if what your team is doing is the right or wrong thing to do. Often times, people get confused whether or not they should feel as though something is unethical if the majority believe in it. If you trust the people you work with and don’t want to offend anyone, it is hard to know whether or not you should say anything. So what should you do in this situation?
We believe that people have to keep their integrity and the image that they portray. As soon as you bend the rules, the rules become easier and easier to bend. By no means should anyone at anytime be asked to go against their belief system, however, if teammates are challenged by the views of the team, it is important to go about it in a professional and persuasive manner.
Passive leaders (those considered in the minority of the team), need to be focused on doing the right thing. It is important that members on a team stand up for what they believe, and do not bend under pressure. It is of utmost importance that you voice your opinion, keeping in mind this is not a battle of who is right and wrong, but rather a team initiative to do the ethical thing.
Although the majority feels as though this course of action is the right thing to do, they need to be challenged, just as you have been. Always, no matter the circumstance, stand up for what you believe, but be a leader in the sense that you can persuade team members to do the right thing based off of your passion, professionalism and persuasion. The sooner that this is done, the sooner the team can go about doing the right thing in a timely and effective manner.
Work with the team until you are able to persuade them and show them how things can be done to gain the end result the majority is looking for with the ethical backing of the minority.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenccwu/316669375/
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Manuel J Carneiro, 2+2=5, Inc.. 2+2=5, Inc. said: Ethics or Majority: Which will you choose?: http://wp.me/phAHk-5L [...]
By: Tweets that mention Ethics or Majority: Which will you choose? « -- Topsy.com on December 16, 2009
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