In todayÆs increasingly accountable workplace, leaders must act in an ethical manner. However, this becomes increasingly more challenging in a workplace that grows ever more diverse with employees and stakeholders who are composed of individuals from different cultures with often disparate values, beliefs, customs and practices. In Everyday Ethics: Inspired Solutions to Real-Life Dilemmas, Joshua Halberstam (1994) does an excellent job of pointing out the fine line between value judgment and morality and between ethics and actual moral conduct. For example, Halberstam (1994, p. 148) writes, ôCultural practices that violate our own morality pull us in opposing directions. On the one hand, we recognize that different cultures have different traditions and that our own moral views emerge from our cultural environmentàOn the other hand, are we truly willing to forgo all moral judgments of other societies?ö Such dilemmas are pertinent to professional leaders because todayÆs workforce is increasingly diverse and consists of individuals from multiple cultures and backgrounds. HalberstamÆs book shows the importance for todayÆs leaders in being able to promote a culture and organizational values that tend to unite individuals whose personal cultures and values might be in sharp contrast.
While Halberstam admits achieving this goal is complex in contemporary organizations, he also provides a number of useful and practical techniques and tips for helping achieve unity among diverse value systems. For example, learning to control oneÆs emotions can go a long way in diffusing potentially judgmental or even unethical decisions or behaviors. Small talk can be valuable in cementing alliances and creating bridges, another technique discussed by Halberstam. Halberstam (1994, p. 117) maintains that ôA moral failure anywhere else is a saint in Sodomàbut genuine moral pride actually requires humility.ö In essence, Halbers
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