Wharton’s Business Responsibility professor G. Richard Shell’s graduate course is full of those he calls “ethics refugees”. By this he is referring to those who have entered the business world at a young age, only to be put into a position where valued principles are called into question. Situations of sexual harassment, discrimination, fraud, deception, etc. When faced with these moral dilemmas, some pushed back, and some became so disillusioned that a retreat into the safe harbor of an MBA was necessary.
Inspired by these stories, Shell wrote the book on the subject. The Conscience Code: Lead With Your Values, Advance Your Career is out in paperback this week. The book is organized into 10 chapters that outline the creation of a “conscience code” for resolving problems. Designed as a practical guide to navigating some of the more common sticky ethical situations, the book is able to inspire readers into action, or into recognizing the consequences of inaction.
In a new episode of the Wharton podcast, professor Shell discusses the steps laid out in the book and how to apply them to real-life work situations. “None of us can read other people perfectly, and organizations have branding consultants that burnish their ethical credentials,” Shell says. “I like to tell my students: If you want to stay healthy, don’t go swimming in a dirty pond.”