Synopses & Reviews
“There are a thousand acts of duplicity and dishonesty every day, some large and some small, some of which undoubtedly take place in your workplace. The question for all of us is, ‘Are we going to resist or just play along the path of least resistance? The first hard choice a person of integrity must make is to choose to live, both personally and professionally, in a way that embodies integrity. The power of this book comes from the real-life, in-the-workplace experiences that these executives have been so generously willing to share. None had easy choices, but thats the point: Integrity is not about easy choices, its about the courage to make the right choices.”
From The Book of Hard Choices
All of us like to think that, in any given situation, wed act with integrity and do the right thing. But what happens when we get to work each morning? Do the same rules we follow in our personal lives apply to our work lives?
The lines between right and wrong become blurred when we must weigh our obligations to our employer against our own ideas about what is right and wrong. Should altruism trump profit, even to the detriment of the organization? When should you step in to protect an employee and when should the employee be left to take the heat? If the CEO is up to some unethical accounting, should you always risk your joband the companys reputationto sound the alarm?
These are the hard choices, the dilemmas that put your integrity to the test and require you to look beyond organizational policy and industry precedents to find an answer that reflects your personal sense of justice. The Book of Hard Choices goes to the heart of these difficult decisions. James Autry and Peter Roy, experienced executives themselves, interviewed numerous leaders about the tough decisions theyve made on the job. They spoke with people like former Starbucks president Howard Behar, Iowa Cubs owner Michael Gartner, and Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa as well as entrepreneurs, military officials, members of the clergy, and a whole host of leaders. The authors dig into the thinking process these people went through, as well as the emotional strain, the self-doubt, and the fear of a wrong decisions impact on their business, family, or coworkers. Not everyone in this book made the right choice, but all of them were forced to examine their values and make decisions in complicated circumstances. The result is hard-won wisdom on how to navigate the ethical gray-areas of work lifefrom daily challenges to possible career ending choicesand make the best possible decisions in the most difficult situations.
Synopsis
All of us like to think that, in any given situation, we’d do the right thing. But sometimes, especially in the complicated world of business, the right thing is hard to define. Should personal considerations ever play a role in hiring and firing decisions? Should you jeopardize your position–and the company’s reputation–by exposing the unethical behavior of a top-level executive? Should you step in to protect an employee who’s under fire from others?
The Book of Hard Choices examines the serious ethical questions executives and employees often face and offers proven approaches to resolving them. Drawing on interviews with twenty leaders in various fields, the authors trace the thinking processes, emotional reactions, and moral deliberations that led their final decisions. Not everyone made the right choice, but their experiences all contain important lessons in reaching the best possible decision in the most difficult situations.
Synopsis
Examining the serious ethical dilemmas faced by managers and employees in the workplace, a practical guide offers effective approaches to resolving such complex issues as hiring and firing decisions, whistle-blowing, and more, drawing on interviews with twenty leaders in a variety of fields who trace their own moral deliberations that led to their choices. 25,000 first printing.
About the Author
JAMES A. AUTRY was president of the magazine group of the Meredith Corporation and is the author of eight books, including The Servant Leader, Real Power, and the bestselling Love and Profit. He is currently a consultant with FORTUNE 500 corporations and a popular lecturer on leadership and business ethics. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa. PETER ROY is the former president of Whole Foods Market, which Fortune magazine first named one of the “Top Companies to Work For” during his tenure. He is currently a director of Avalon Natural Products, Traditional Medicinals and the Naked Juice Company as well as a trustee of the National Outdoor Leadership School. He lives on Pawleys Island, South Carolina.