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Ethics, Responsibility, and Integrity

Secretary Powell at United Nations

What is integrity? Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger* (who safely landed USAIR 1549 in the Hudson River after losing his two engines to bird strikes) defines it simply as "doing the right thing when it is inconvenient." He declares "integrity is the core of my profession. An airline pilot has to do the right thing every time." The same might be said about a visa officer, a military commander, an intelligence analyst, a conflict mediator, a refugee camp administrator, or a UN peacekeeper. Patterson School students are often bound for careers where, like airline pilots, integrity is fundamental. While Captain Sully's definition makes it sound easy, TV and newspaper headlines suggest otherwise. They illuminate again and again behavior of senior leaders — on Wall Street, in Congress, and in government — that ranges from ill considered and unethical to patently illegal.

What is proper conduct for officials and employees who observe or are drawn into unethical situations? Be quiet, complain, or impede action? Support the boss, blow the whistle, or quit? To whom are they accountable? In business, is it to the CEO, the shareholders, or society? In government, is it to the President, the party, or the Constitution? How should they respond to directives that appear to violate the public trust? How do you discern and handle the ethical issues that arise everyday in work and leadership? These questions do not always have clear answers and people can sharply disagree over what characterizes "doing the right thing."

Examining issues of ethics and responsibility is an integral part of your professional education at the Patterson School. This is accomplished through readings, class discussions, scenario exercises, and guest lecturers. It is not our intent to provide you with all the "right" answers or solutions to these complex ethical situations. How could we? What we will do is ensure that you have thought about these problems, have been exposed to the likely options (and consequences), and have the best preparation we can offer to help you handle moral dilemmas when they inevitably arise.

* See Sullenberger's book, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters (William Morrow, October 2009).

Tough Questions

• Was General Colin Powell correct in being "the good soldier" while Secretary of State, or should he have been more public in voicing his differences with the White House over the Iraq War?

• How should managers (or intelligence analysts) react to efforts by senior leaders to selectively use financial data (or intelligence) to bolster the case for a particular course of action?

• What should diplomats or military personnel do if asked to facilitate practices (such as extraordinary renditions or harsh interrogation techniques) which they believe may violate the law or international norms?

• Should HR permit the employment of 13-year olds at an overseas subsidiary, if this accords with local social norms and practices?

The actions individuals take in such situations are decidedly personal, determined largely by their own character, values, experience, convictions, and courage. Nevertheless, as H. R. McMaster's seminal book on Vietnam makes clear, lack of dissent and mistakes in determining where the line falls between loyalty and "dereliction of duty" can have deadly consequences.