We are plagued today by a decline in ethical behavior - every day seems to bring a new scandal. But we have the power to make the world a more ethical place. In this book, the leading ethics authority in the country argues that we have an innate ethical sense, and provides tools to strengthen and refine it so that we can avoid crippling blunders, respond more intelligently to ethical issues, and make better leadership and business decisions. Mark Pastin explains why we have come to doubt we have this innate ethical sense and why, if we all have this ability, people disagree about ethical issues.
Like any other sense the ethical sense needs to be exercised to fully develop, so he draws on his 35 years of experience to provide a wealth of actual situations showing how the tools in the book can be applied in the real world. One challenge to doing the right thing is that there is often no consensus as to what the right thing is, so the book offers proven strategies for building ethical consensus. Unlike most other ethics books, this is a practical, how-to guide, not a series of "what do I do if?" questions and answers - the goal is to enable people to make the right call themselves, not tell them what to do. By using the unique tools in this book readers will gain confidence in their innate ethical sense and take actions that will elevate the ethical level of their organizations and society as a whole.
About the Author
Mark Pastin is the founder and President of The Council of Ethical Organizations. The Council is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to practical approaches to ethics and compliance issues. Dr. Pastin also established the first academic ethics institute, the Lincoln Center for Ethics. He has advised corporations including Caterpillar, American Express, Medtronic, NYNEX, Motorola, General Electric, Texas Instruments, Intel, Cadbury Schweppes, and J.P. Morgan,. He has served as advisor to both Houses of Congress and to state and federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and the National Science Foundation. 'He has advised foreign governments and agencies in the European Community, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong, the Republic of China, and the United Kingdom. Pastin has served as faculty member and administrator at Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Harvard University, University of Maryland, Arizona State University and Johns Hopkins.
Industry Reviews
"I know no one who has accomplished more than Pastin across the entire operations of ethical behavior. Enjoy his book, embrace his vision, adhere to his basic values and we will be a more ethical society."
-Joe Rocks, CEO, NHS Human Services
"Mark Pastin has written the only book on ethics that is worth reading."
-Ian I. Mitroff, Professor Emeritus, Marshall School of Business, USC
"Pastin continues to take ethics to the next level using examples to make the book not only interesting but also actionable and pragmatic."
-Tony Spezia, President and CEO, Covenant Health
"This book is a must-read for everyone who is involved in a leadership position at any level in an organization. An excellent 'self-reflection' manual, it was a quick read that kept me engaged! Dr. Pastin's efforts should cause readers to step back and look at the culture of their entity and the moral compass direction they have set for themselves. Its practical application is self-evident."
-Michael H. Covert, FACHE, President and CEO, Palomar Health, San Diego, California
"Look no further if you are truly interested in finding practical solutions for difficult and complex ethical problems affecting you within your organization! Dr. Mark Pastin has provided an easy-to-follow, practical approach to effectively deal with today's intricate, complex, and at times dilemmatic ethical situations. Speaking from decades of world-class academic and consultancy experience in ethics, his narrative style keeps your interests going and makes the reading seem more like a novel rather than a heavy-duty academic work."
-Constant Cheng, Professor, George Mason University
"Dr. Pastin elegantly discusses modern ethics with a unique perspective that engages the reader with humor and real-life applicability. This is an exceptional exploration of ethical challenges faced in business along with a set of effective tools for overcoming them. A must-read for individuals looking to successfully navigate corporate America with integrity."
-Debra Burock, PhD, CCP, Regional Director of Program Evaluation and Practice Development, NHS Human Services
"Make an Ethical Difference delivers a clear and direct message: merely talking about honesty and integrity is not enough. Every one of us routinely faces ethical challenges, whether we recognize them as such or not. Dr. Pastin calls on his forty years of experience as an ethics advisor in this thought-provoking book that provides user-friendly, common-sense tools that have been tested and proven in many challenging situations. It is an invaluable guide to the leader who wants to make a lasting difference!"
-James Neal, Chief Compliance Officer, Millennium Laboratories
"Make an Ethical Difference is an informative and enjoyable read! I will definitely be utilizing the principles/tools that were so thoroughly and creatively explained. The case scenarios were most appreciated as they provided realistic examples that anyone can relate to."
-Amber King, Chief Human Resource Officer/Chief Compliance Officer, NorthCrest Medical Center
"Mark Pastin's book gives a variety of stimulating situational examples of some of the ethical issues that he has personally encountered in his international consulting work. He does not just point out the problem but gives a range of workable tools for everyday consideration as we all run into ethnically challenging situations. As a result of using these tools, we all might be better off as we develop our own ethics eye/ethics sense."
-Daniel C. Brenenstuhl, Managing Director, International Business Seminars
"One quote from Mark Pastin's book rings true for all of us: 'The problem in getting ethical conduct to surface in organizations is that people lack the confidence that if they do the right thing, they will succeed.' With case studies and a solid easy-to-read style, Mark gives you the tools and confidence to ingrain ethical conduct in your organization. I highly recommend this book for any C-suite executive."
-Lale White, CEO and Chairman, XIFIN, Inc.
