INTHEBLACK September 2024 special edition - Flipbook - Page 12
Ethical intelligence is an important part of organisational culture. Here are
five principles that are found at the heart of ethical behaviour.
WORDS MEGAN BREEN
O
n any given day, people make
ethical decisions in the workplace,
often without consciously thinking
about them.
For American ethicist and author Bruce Weinstein,
developing an understanding of ethical intelligence
is core to any business, not only for the organisation’s
own advantage, but also for the benefit of staff and
the community at large.
Put simply, ethical intelligence is the personal
code that dictates how people work and their ability
to make ethical decisions when faced with moral
challenges.
Weinstein argues that ethical intelligence is
grounded in five key principles that need to be
embedded across an organisation – do no harm, make
things better, respect others, be fair and care.
It comes down to asking oneself whether something
is “the right thing to do”, he adds.
“These five principles are extremely basic. If
you look at your organisation’s code of conduct,
I guarantee you that these principles are at the
foundation of every rule in that code.
12 INTHEBLACK September 2024 SPECIAL EDITION
“It might not be spelled out like that, but this is
a framework that not only spans professions – these
principles are the foundation of every culture and
every civilisation,” Weinstein says.
APPLY AND PROMOTE VALUES
While the principles of ethical intelligence may seem
simple, ensuring they inform the behaviour of all
employees in a workplace takes time and is not a
“set and forget” exercise, Weinstein says.
WEINSTEIN’S FIVE PRINCIPLES
OF ETHICAL INTELLIGENCE
1. Do no harm
2. Make things better
3. Respect others
4. Be fair
5. Care
Rob Dobi/Moment via Getty Images
E T H I C A L I N T E L L I GE NC E
SMART
THINKING
