Letter from the Editor - In the Lead Magazine
Welcome to the eleventh edition of In the Lead.
I recently taught a few classes on AI and ethics, and an idea emerged: Ethics are a luxury people with choices have.
Then, I started to analyze my idea and ask probing questions about it.
What came to mind first was: What are ethics? Not the dictionary’s definition. Not a philosophical definition. But a plain English one.
For me, the definition boils down to this: Ethics are the actions we choose.
That begged additional questions: What choices does one have? And what must one choose?
The formal study of ethics defines the actions that are considered ethical. Broadly speaking, ethical actions are those that communicate our accountability, character and fairness.
This approach to identifying ethical action feels straightforward — until you start to deconstruct each of those three words and realize that while their definitions may be universal, the acceptable range of behaviors associated with them is not.
This led to yet another question: Is choosing to be accountable, show character and be fair really a luxury? Perhaps not, as these are choices we all get to make every day.
The only dilemma: There is no single, agreed-upon ideal to uphold. Our individual choices are framed by what we personally accept as accountability, character and fairness, shaped as much by our personality as by our context: our family, culture, society, values and workplace.
As the geopolitical forces shape a new world and we face the prospect of artificial intelligence redefining our work and lives, the discussion on ethics becomes urgent.
With the stakes so high, and without a single standard of ethical leadership to model after, how do leaders make decisions that balance the short-term benefit with the long-term impacts?
In this issue of In the Lead, we explore the concrete lessons about ethics learned by individuals — authors, generals, frontline corporate and healthcare leaders, and professors navigating real-life choices. Situations where leaders’ actions have an outsized impact on the people they lead.
The definitive takeaway: Ethics are not a luxury; they must drive how we show up every day.
This issue also features a high school student sharing her perspective on the topic. It is heartwarming to see that she wrestles with the same dilemmas more seasoned professionals face: How to choose?
How do you choose?
- Ruchin Kansal, Editor
About the Editor
Ruchin Kansal, M.B.A. is a professor of practice at Seton Hall University and the founding editor of In the Lead. Prior, he led the Business Leadership Center at the Stillman School of Business, and held senior leadership roles at Capgemini, Deloitte, Boehringer Ingelheim & Siemens Healthineers with a distinguished record in strategy and innovation, digital health, strategic partnerships and business launches. He received his M.B.A. from NYU-Stern.