Ethical Thinking: “The Other”

By Linda Fisher Thornton

How we think about other people is an important part of ethical thinking and leadership. In this post I’ll explore how our thinking can go wrong and how it can go right, depending on how we think about “The Other.”

What Can Go Wrong

Thinking about ourselves as “better than” others can quickly lead us to make unethical decisions and display unethical interpersonal behavior. ” It can lead us to use aggressive competitive behaviors that are unethical, including disrespectful treatment and harm.
Thinking we are more entitled than others, we may be tempted to withhold information that others need to succeed. This goes against every tenet of professionalism, teamwork, and looking out for the organization’s best interests (instead of just our own).
Thinking in terms of “us versus them” is a dangerous path that can lead to potentially catastrophic ethical failure.

These and many other things can go ethically wrong when we think about others as inferior, separate, or less deserving than ourselves.

What Can Go Right

Great leaders are “other focused”. This mindset enables us to focus our attention on supporting others and bringing out their best, individually and collectively.
Thinking that all others deserve to be treated fairly can lead to fully inclusive leadership that brings out people’s best, and organizations where people thrive.
When we think of others as deserving to be treated fairly we can begin to think about our role as one of service and support rather than as players in a competition that we need to “win.”
These and many other things can go ethically right when we think about others with respect, using a global lens and a service mindset.