Please note that this article is free for personal use only. No unauthorized use or copying is permitted. If you intend on reprinting, distributing, copying, or linking to this article, please contact us or call 1-877-77ETHIC. We welcome media inquiries and reciprocal links.

It would be so convenient if our daily ethical dilemmas at work were a little more black and white. The complexities of our workday world may resemble a T.V. miniseries more than a day at the office. Who doesn't struggle with workplace ethical decisions when the waters are so muddy? It's not easy when the context, timing, people, costs, and other variables cloud the situation. Almost anything seems reasonable if you spend enough time thinking about it.

The bottom line is this: if ever in doubt, choose to err on the side of safety rather than take a chance at being wrong. Although this concept seems simple in theory, it can be very hard to do. Most employees won't ever test their ethical mettle resisting a high profile scandal, but every employee will likely face numerous ethical decisions on any given day at work.

It may seem reasonable to go with the crowd if every other sales rep in the office uses product samples and company vehicles for personal use. It may seem that no harm is done in accepting a holiday gift basket from a supplier or offering your friends or relatives your employee product discount. A perfectly rational person might write-off these kinds of situations as trivial...but not so fast.

Ask yourself, "Is there any kind of ethical impropriety here?" If you have any doubt whatsoever, just say "no." The irony is that our ethical choices in the little stuff get us in the biggest trouble. And that "little stuff" is usually the stuff that we let slide by as "no big deal." When sitting on the fence, it's always better to hop off on the safe side rather than stepping into something dangerous on the other side.

If something smells fishy it probably is. You should make a habit of simply choosing the ethical high road if you have any doubt in the matter. Don't wait. Do it quickly before you talk yourself out of it. How much mental and emotional energy do you spend in mind games and moral debates when you should have just said "no" in the first place?

Remember that the creators of workplace ethics codes expect you to take their words at face value and not read between the lines or interpret them for your own benefit.
Of course you might prefer to take your chances. If so, here are some of the messages you might be sending to others about you.

1. You have a dangerous inclination to take risks. The workplace is not a good place to take risks. With your job at stake, you simply can't afford to be wrong. Losing the gamble (even a relatively small one) can have serious career and legal consequences.

2. You lack a solid moral foundation that is required for making tough ethical decisions. Lack of consistency in your ethical standards is like having no standards at all. No matter what your job or rank, you must be ethically reliable. Strong character requires a set of core values that don't change depending on the situation.

3. You think only about yourself. Self-centeredness demonstrates a lack of perspective that harms others in the short-term and will come back to bite you later. You simply can't operate in this mindset and be successful at work. In our interconnected world, almost every act affects someone else in some way. Your field of vision must be your coworkers, supervisors, customers, and everyone else with whom you have contact.

4. Your ethical direction at any given moment is based on your feelings. This is dangerous. Feelings are not always a reliable measure of the facts. Although you need to use feelings and instincts to make decisions, you must not become so reliant on them as to exclude facts, logic, and other perspectives.

The reflex to opt for the safe side may not come naturally. It might require you to break bad habits such as making excuses for bad behavior or searching for an angle that benefits you most. Bad habits are tough to break but you can do it if you bring it into the realm of consciousness. Consider the payoffs of breaking your bad habits: a clear conscience, good reputation, possible career advancement, and personal and spiritual growth.

Choose to err on the side of good. Make a conscious effort quickly before the rationalizations creep in. Do it often so you'll develop good habits of responding to ethical situations with decisiveness and with principle. Preferring ethical safety over risk will work to your benefit every time it's tried. When the ethical line comes into focus it is far better to be standing on the right side looking back rather than on the wrong side wishing for just one more chance.