Grappling with the Gray

Air travel has gotten more challenging, and stories of lost luggage abound. But this one really stands out as an example of incompetence crossing the ethical line.

Here is our topic:

On July 17, Sandra Shuster and her 15 years old daughter, Ruby, boarded a United Airlines flight in Baltimore. They arrived in Denver to discover that Ruby’s lacrosse kit had not arrived with them. After twice being told by United representatives the kit would arrive the next day, Ms. Shuster was told it was still in Baltimore.

Except it wasn’t. The kit carried an Apple AirTag, which showed it at baggage reclaim in Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Despite repeated calls, Ms. Shuster was told that they couldn’t find the lost bag, that they weren’t allowed to call Chicago, and that she had the wrong tracking number… which was printed on a sticker attached to her boarding pass.

Over the next several days, representatives told her the AirTag must have been lost, the bag must have been stolen, they couldn’t be certain it was in Chicago, and that Ms. Shuster should file a claim for lost luggage. Meanwhile, Ruby had to borrow a kit for one game and had try-outs approaching the next week.

In the end, Sandra Shuster bought a ticket to Chicago to retrieve the bag herself. She informed United of her plans, and they told her to let them handle it. She took the flight anyway, sending a message to the O’Hare baggage office, which had the bag waiting for her when she arrived. Despite repeated assurances from multiple United staff that they had been searching for her bag and had contacted Chicago, the O’Hare office had never heard from them at all.

No one is perfect, and people make mistakes. But no one at United ever apologized to Sandra Shuster, and only after CNN contacted the airline did she get her flight miles refunded. She still lost a day of work and suffered hours of aggravation.

This kind of customer mistreatment is highly unethical. How could representatives have acted to resolve this issue effectively? What can business leaders do to create a culture in which employees are motivated to solve problems themselves when systems fail? And why have so few businesses actually taken steps to promote a healthier company culture?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Per Brogaard Berggreen helps leaders focus on digital and organizational change and transformation management while building sustainable environments through trust, respect, inclusion, and diversity.

Pascal Derrien is CEO of Migraine Ireland, a registered charity dedicated to empowering migraineurs by providing innovative services through education, information and outreach programs.

Toni McLelland MSc is Founder and Director of 1st Life Group. She is a Critical Friend & Business Mentor in Social Justice, Mobility & Impact leading sustainable change through DEIB & Compassion.

Welcome to Grappling with the Gray, a forum for promoting the development of an ethical mindset and ethical decision-making to help us clearly see both sides of complex issues and better navigate the moral challenges of everyday life.

This week's scenario:

You’re walking down the hallway of a corporate office building.  The elevator door opens in front of you, and out of the elevator steps your next-door neighbor – a nice young lady with whom you’re very friendly.

“What are you doing here?” you ask.

She replies, “I'm so excited; I have a great job opportunity.  I'm interviewing with a corporate law firm in this office right here, right now.  How do I look?”

You look her over and think: “O-M-G. No one should walk into the bathroom looking like that!  Did she look in the mirror before she left the house?”

How do you respond to her question?

Meet this week's panelists:

Cordelia Gaffar is the world’s best joy-monger, author of multiple books, Host of the Free to Be Show, and Co-Host of the Unlearning Labels Podcast.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordelia-...

Diane Helbig is Chief Improvement Catalyzer at Helbig Enterprises, providing guidance and training to business owners and leaders around the world.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhelbig/

April Shprintz is the Business Accelerator, creator of The Generosity Culture, author of Magic Blue Rocks, and host of the Pour into your Business podcast.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilshpr...

🥷Is there anything that still goes without saying?
🥷What's the cost of saying what needs to be said?
🥷How can you speak to best ensure that your words will be heard?

These are the questions we will address with the Wonderful Wizard of Wise Words, WP bestselling author Sam Horn, in a special edition of Grappling with the Gray.

And here is the scenario we’ll be discussing:

According to FAA data, Airlines have seen reports of unruly passengers increase in past years, spiking to 6000 in 2021 and nearly 2,500 last year -- more than double than previous years. That might explain the following pre-flight announcement from an American Airlines pilot to his passengers:

“Remember, the flight attendants are here for your safety. After that they’re here to make your flight more enjoyable. They’re going to take care of you guys but you will listen to what they have to say because they represent my will in the cabin, and my will is what matters.”

“Be nice to each other. Be respectful to each other. I shouldn’t have to say that ... But I have to say it every single flight, because people don’t. And they’re selfish and rude, and we won’t have it.”

He told passengers to store their bags properly, avoid leaning or falling asleep on other people, and use headphones instead of playing audio out loud on speakers. He then concluded: “Middle seaters, I know it stinks to be in the middle ... You own both armrests. That is my gift to you. Welcome on board our flight.”

Some observers criticized the pilot as a patronizing scold. Others praised him for taking initiative and demonstrating leadership.

Even if we side with the pilot, could he have phrased his message differently to make it more easily and effectively received by passengers. What lessons can we learn and apply to our own communication in the workplace, in our families, and in our communities?

Sam Horn is Founder & CEO at The Intrigue Agency. She is a keynote speaker, bestselling author, book and presentation coach, media resource, and author of the new book Talking on Eggshells: Soft skills for hard conversations.

#ethics #language #wisdom #communication #grappling

It might be easier if everything was black and white.  But that's not the world we live in.  That's why we have to grapple with the gray.

This episode's ethics challenge:

Last week, actor Kevin Spacey was acquitted of all the sexual abuse charges that have dogged him for six years. During that time, his acting career collapsed, and many predict that, with his reputation in tatters, he will continue to struggle finding roles.

One of our foundational principles is guilty until proven innocent. But after so many high profile incidents of sexual abuse, it feels wrong to allow alleged predators to carry on with business as usual when, in the event they are eventually proven guilty, reaching a verdict often takes years, followed by years of appeals.

On the other hand, genuinely innocent individuals can have their lives destroyed by accusers who are vindictive, misguided, or simply mistaken. Often, we may never know the truth, as with the charges leveled by Anita Hill against Clarence Thomas. To make matters worse, the choosing of sides often appears to be motivated more from political affiliation than on the basis of evidence.

Trying a case in the court of public opinion led to the collapse of the 2006 charges against three Duke University Lacrosse players, largely because of overzealousness on the part of the prosecuting attorney. The players won damages for defamation, but they were never actually exonerated in the courtroom. 

Is there a practical strategy for protecting and supporting victims without rushing to judgment? And if we simply have to accept the imperfections of the system, does erring on the side of caution favor the accuser or the accused?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Dr. Pauline Crawford is the conversation game changer. Her Corporate Heart Team works to empower women and men with a new understanding of fairness, respect for differences, and mutually beneficial business & life principles.

🟦 Melissa Hughes, Ph.D. is Founder and Principal of the Andrick Group, applying recent brain research to improve employee engagement, company culture, team dynamics, and innovation.

Brian Kelly is the CEO and Founder at Human Factors Consulting, LLC. He is an optimistic rebel, committed to humanizing leadership, relationships and workplaces by creating the conditions for people to thrive so your business can, too.

#ethics #culture #society #rights #grappling

What happens when the implicit conditions of a relationship change?
What is the difference between a contract and a covenant?
What effect do pragmatism and expedience have on our core values?

These are some of the topics the ethics panel takes up on this episode of Grappling with the Gray.

Here is our ethical dilemma:

A man posed this question to an ethicist:

"My wife is ill and lives in a nursing home. Is there anything wrong with me taking a mistress?"

There are any number of variables that might make this question more or less compelling:

Would it matter if the wife suffered from dementia or Alzheimer’s and no longer knew who her husband was? What if she were brain-dead and had no awareness at all?

Would it matter if the wife were likely to recover and return home in a matter of weeks or months? What if the wife willingly gave her consent?

What if the wife weren't ill at all but the couple agreed to have an open marriage? Is there anything intrinsically unethical or immoral about taking marriage vows and then agreeing to relax or discard the implicit conditions of those vows?

Finally, is there a social cost to redefining marriage in particular and relationships in general? Are there benefits that might offset those costs?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Mark Brown, CSP is a world champion speaker, an executive coach, and an artificial intelligence software advisor.

Laura Elizabeth Gray is a Passionate People Connector, Columnist, Author, and Development Director of The ALS Association Northern Ohio Chapter.

Dr. Robyn Odegaard is known as the Mental MacGyver. She provides luxury level, high performance support and coaching to executives, founders, celebrities and athletes. She is also the creator and facilitator of the Quick Hits podcast.

#ethics #relationships #mindset #commitment #grappling

If we abandon tradition, how will we know our past?
If we cling to tradition, how will we embrace the future?

The tension between tradition and progressivism comes into focus when this week's ethics panel convenes to Grapple with the Gray.

Join us on LinkedIn Live this Wednesday at 5:00 pm ET when we take up this ethical dilemma:

Once again, the running of the bulls at Pamplona resulted in multiple injuries although, gratefully no deaths… this time. The recent coronation of King Charles raised renewed debate over the relevance of the monarchy, which seemingly perpetuates non-Democratic values but also brings in an extraordinary amount of tourist revenue. As we approach November, here in the US we look forward to the pardoning of the presidential turkey, a ritual I personally find inane.

On a larger scale, the war between traditional values and progressive sensitivities wages on the battleground of legislation, language, family, and identity.

Is it ethical to put lives in danger, whether others or our own, for a frivolous pursuit? Is there any benefit to preserving rituals that now seem at best irrelevant and at worst contrary to contemporary values? How do we calculate the benefit of preserving them against the cost of discarding them, and vice versa?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Christopher Bauer, PhD, CSP, CFS, is a Speaker, Author, and Consultant on Ethics, Compliance, and Accountability.

Jennifer H. Elder, CSP, is a CPA and Certified Speaking Professional who helps leaders future-proof their businesses by making smart decisions and staying ethical.

Nick Gallo, aka the Ethics Evangelist, is CEO of Compliance Line, as well as creator and host of The Ethics Experts podcast.

#ethics #culture #mindset #society #grappling

How do we navigate the ethics of uncertainty? 
How sure do we have to be before we can rely on our own assumptions?
Is there ever a time when an honest mistake doesn't need to be rectified?

These are some of the questions we take up when the ethics panel convenes to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is this week's ethical dilemma:

You’re pacing back and forth outside your favorite restaurant and talking on your cell phone as you wait for your friend Terry, who’s meeting you for lunch. Terry shows up, reaches down to the sidewalk and comes up holding a $50 bill.

“Is this yours?” he asks.

You remember getting change for a hundred that morning and, still finishing up your phone conversation, you check your wallet. No fifty. “Yeah, that must be mine,” you say, thanking Terry as you take the bill and put it in your wallet.

After lunch, you go to your car, reach in your pocket for your keys, and come out with a $50 bill. You re-check your wallet – another $50 bill. You realize that you didn’t drop the fifty, you merely misplaced it. The one Terry picked up off the ground wasn’t yours at all.

Now what do you do? Does Terry have any more claim to the fifty bucks than you do? Is it unethical for you to keep it for yourself?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Janice Litvin works with leaders and teams to banish burnout in their organizations through keynote speeches, workshops and accountability groups. She is also author of the Banish Burnout Toolkit.

Dr. Eric Zabiegalski is a technical and organization consultant, professor of HR management, and author of Unthink: All you have to do is Nothing.

Frank Zaccari is a Business and Organizational Development Expert, keynote speaker, TV and podcast host, 4X Amazon bestselling author, and Air Force veteran.

Where's the line between exaggeration and misrepresentation?

Is promoting a good cause ever an excuse for ignoring collateral damage?

At what point does overzealousness undermine our credibility?

These are some of the questions the ethics panel takes up on this episode as we Grapple with the Gray.

Here's our scenario:

Last week, the panel discussed whether the NAACP’s recently issued travel advisory against Florida was an ethical form of protest, given their claim that the state “is openly hostile toward African Americans.”

There has been no shortage of boycotts in the headlines. Both Anheuser Busch and Target have seen dramatic decline in revenues as consumers protest their public endorsement of alternative lifestyles. The state of Israel has been the target of a boycott campaign for years based on the claimed mistreatment of Israeli Arabs. Chick-Fil-A has been boycotted for its traditional values, and is now being threatened with a boycott for hiring a VP of DEI.

The 1955 Birmingham bus boycott was one of the most successful campaigns for change in history. Many more recent protests, however, have been more ideological driven than idea driven, often misrepresenting their targets.

Doing business with an immoral company or entity poses a serious ethical challenge. But how immoral is too immoral? How do we avoid setting the bar unreasonably high, or being inconsistent with our boycotts? And how far do we have to go to inconvenience ourselves to avoid patronizing a company that may offend some of our values, but which we admire in other areas?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Paul Edwards used to drive large military vehicles through the deserts of the Middle East, armed with an assault rifle. Today, his occupation of ghostwriting requires him to ask questions first, and shoot later.”

Jolanta Pomiotlo is Vice President of Information Technology for EXSIF Worldwide who manages innovative initiatives aimed at reducing operating costs, improving profit, and growing revenue.

Michael Sherlock is a Sales & Leadership Communications Strategist and CEO of Shock Your Potential, a global professional development training company.

Is it ever okay to withhold information and thereby allow others to reach the wrong conclusions?

That's the topic the ethics panel takes up in this archive episode of Grappling with the Gray.

This episode's ethical challenge:

Flying with children poses a variety of difficulties.  Aside from the challenge of managing youthful squirreliness within the confines of a crowded passenger compartment, even booking the flight might not be simple.  Airline policies change from time to time, and different companies have different rules.

Imagine this real-life scenario:

You’re traveling a across the Atlantic with your toddler.  The airline you’re flying charges 10% of the ticket price to hold the child in your lap.  However, that deal is only available for children under two.  Your child is 26 months, just over the limit, for which the airline requires you to buy the child her own seat for 90% of the full ticket price.

You know the child will spend virtually the entire trip in your lap regardless, so you see paying for a seat as a waste of money.  However, you don’t want to lie to the airline.

Your travel agent offers the following suggestion:

Buy the 10% ticket.  Don’t offer any information about your child’s age.  In all probability, the flight attendants will admit your family on the plane without question.  If they ask your child’s age, answer truthfully.  If they tell you there is an age limit, apologize for your error and offer to pay for the seat.

Meet this episode's panelists:

Mariah Edgington, BSN, RN Edgington is a retired critical care and emergency nurse, speaker, mindset coach, and author of the newly released book, Journey Well, You Are MORE Than Enough.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahedgington/

Catherine Fitzgerald is owner of Catapult Leadership Group. After surviving her own harrowing leadership roles as CEO and mother of three boys, she dedicates herself to working with organizational leaders as they navigate the choppy waters of aligning people, performance, and profits.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-a-fitzgerald/

Jeff Koziatek is a speaker, author, and juggler who coaches business leaders for peak performance, professional success, and personal freedom.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkoziatek/

At what point does principled protest become unprincipled parody?  That's the topic the ethics panels takes up on this episode of Grappling with the Gray.

Here's the scenario:

The NAACP recently issued a travel advisory declaring that people should avoid travel to Florida, claiming that the state “is openly hostile toward African Americans.” The advisory comes in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ [QUOTE] aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools [UNQUOTE].

The National Review cited statistics showing that Florida ranks among the highest states in the nation for black home ownership, black employment, black business-ownership, and influx of new black residents, not to mention the highest rated education system in the country. 

Moreover, three black tourism organizations criticized the advisory as harmful to the economic well-being of the African-American community. And some have pointed out as ironic that the NAACP’s Board of Directors chairman, Leon W. Russell, lives in Tampa. The advisory appears to be a reaction to legislation denying AP credit for a course on African American studies and restricting funding for DEI programs on college campuses. 

Granting that the NAACP may have legitimate grievances, is a travel advisory an ethical response to the Florida legislation? Does travel in Florida really pose a clear and present danger to black tourists? 

If not, is the advisory a legitimate form of protest, or does it make a mockery of warnings against travel to legitimately dangerous destinations like Venezuela, Iran, and Syria, the same way branding feminists and Trump supporters as Nazis makes a mockery of the Holocaust?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Catherine Fitzgerald is a speaker, writer, certified coach, and founder of BrassTacksWithHeart - Executive Coaching. She works with C-level leaders and their teams as they navigate the choppy waters of aligning people, performance, and profits.

Stewart Wiggins is Chief Advisor at Induna Advisors, working to significantly increase company revenue by developing positive client reports and establishing solid business relationships.

Peter Winick works with individuals and organizations to build and grow revenue streams through their thought leadership platforms and is host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast.

#ethics #politics #community #leadership #grappling