02 September 2008

Refreshing Reflections on Ethics and the Process of Making Things Happen

Max Oliva has refreshing reflections on ethics on the CSR blog of the Instituto de Empresa (IE). Max and I have blogged a lot about the "down to business" side of CSR but this article is different because it goes beyond ethical reflections and adds "the process of making things happen". It stimulates questions like 'should I try to make a difference?'.

I find this highly interesting because it's thought-provoking to bring a fresh awareness of how we actually have the potential to bring change (rather focusing too much on the obstacles). Can you think global and go for new ideas? Have you unleashed your potential yet? These types of questions are touched by the statements below and the ones I am personally working on. I hope you, too, find the article inspiring:

"If ethics is the choice for the common good
(global reach and including all living beings):
  1. Deciding to act small because it is more comfortable… is not ethical;
  2. Deciding to hold back (your proposals, ideas and actions) because you don’t want to go against “the group” … is not ethical;
  3. Deciding to doing the possible instead of trying to make the impossible possible… is not ethical;
  4. Deciding to use just a part of your potential (to “save” it for self interest purposes) … is not ethical;
  5. Deciding not to act, to stay silent, letting fear stay in the way… is not ethical;
  6. Deciding to conform to the “letter of the law” instead of persisting on the path defined by the “spirit of the law” … is not ethical;
  7. Deciding not to try because nobody tried it before… is not ethical;
  8. Deciding not to pursue the perfection and conform to what seems “negotiable” … is not ethical;
  9. Deciding to postpone bold actions again and again “waiting for the right moment” … is not ethical;
  10. Deciding to “play the game” and pretend that you are not seeing the manipulations underway… is not ethical;
  11. Deciding to live in the realm of ideas, diagnosis and theories instead of taking the risks and going for actions… is not ethical;
  12. Deciding to act only when all is scientifically proven, even when the truth is self evident… is not ethical;
  13. Deciding to reject all radically creative ideas (yours including) when the “traditional-not-so-radical ideas” have not been working… is not ethical;
  14. Deciding to reject every proposal that looks “idealistic” or “utopic” … is not ethical"
From: Corporate Responsibility Blog, IE