Ethics for the Real World: Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions in Work and Life

Ronald A. Howard and Clinton D. Korver

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We often make small ethical compromises for "good" reasons: We lie to a customer because our boss asked us to. We exaggerate our accomplishments on our resume to get an interview. Temptation blindsides us. And we make snap decisions we regret.

Minor ethical lapses can seem harmless, but they instill in us a hard-to-break habit of distorted thinking. Rationalizations drown out our inner voice, and we make up the rules as we go. We lose control of our decisions, fall victim to the temptations and pressures of our situations, taint our characters, and sour business and personal relationships.

In Ethics for the Real World, Ronald Howard and Clinton Korver explain how to master the art of ethical decision making by:

• Identifying potential compromises in your own life
• Applying distinctions to clarify your ethical thinking
• Committing in advance to ethical principles

Generating creative alternatives to resolve dilemmas

Packed with real-life examples, this book gives you practical advice to respond skillfully to life's inevitable ethical challenges. Not only can you make right decisions, you can acquire new habits that will realize the best in yourself and transform your relationships.

Ronald A. Howard is a professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering in Stanford University's School of Engineering, and the director of the Department's Decisions and Ethics Center. Clinton D. Korver is the founder and CEO of DecisionStreet, which provides Web-based tools to help consumers make important life decisions.

	Introduction: Skillful Decision Making	1
1	Almost Ethical	11
2	Draw Distinctions	31
3	Consult the Touchstones	51
4	Draft Your Code	71
5	Choose Action	91
6	Transform Life	113
7	Transform Work	131
	Epilogue: Habit of Wisdom	151
	Appendix A The Elements of Ethical Thinking	155
	Appendix B Ethical Codes	157
	Our Messages	175
	Acknowledgments	187
	Notes	189
	Index	203
	About The Authors	211

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