Fundamentals of Level Three Leadership

67. Analyzing Ethics

Concept

The standard method of ethics analysis is to identify the harms and benefits for various stakeholders⁵⁴ and then to make decisions by balancing all those consequences. This is a relativistic approach—what’s right and wrong is relative to each stakeholder and how one balances the overall effects. While this system is widespread and commonly taught in business schools, it leaves, for me, the question of are there any absolute principles? Religions of course argue for absolute values and principles. Many of those we would agree or argue are self-serving for that religion. The ideas, for example, that “every knee shall bow” or “every infidel shall submit or die” are absolute principles that are ego-centrically self-serving ...