A Conversation with Psychologist Howard Gardner The Ethical Mind It's not enough to espouse high standards. To live up to therm—and help others do the same requires an ethical cast of mind that jets you practice your principles consistently. F YOU'RE RUNNING A LARGE coMPanY, don’t expect the public to ike you. Soaring executive pay packages,continuing rounds of layoifs, and the memory of ethical failures at fems like Enron, WorldCom, and Hewlett Packard have raised public animosity toward corporate executives as never before. A US, Roper poll conclucted in 2005 revealed that 72% of respondents, believed wrongdoing was widespread in industry. Only 2% felt that leaders of large firms were “very trustworthy” (a drop from :1 2004), and the pastern is “not improving,” according 0 Kathy Sheehan, a senior vice present at GFK Roper Consult in New York. Meanwhile, the public inereasingly demands that companies take better care of theiremployees, communities, and the environmen: Tis now, more than ever, incumbent on business leaders to repair relations with customers and emplayees by stepping up hocoig | Mareh 2007 ° Hasard Business Raview 81DIFFERENT VOICE | The Ethice! Mind to the ethical plate says Howard Gard- searchers have also observed firsthand ner.the John H.and Elisabeth A. Hobbs the ways in which good work eroded Professor of Cognition and Education by cultural, economic, and technolog at the Harvard Graduate Schoo! of d+ cal forces (For more on this long-term ‘cation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, project, go to wiew.goodworkproject Gardner isan influential cognitive and com.) tn his new book, Fe Binds for educational psychologist, not an ethi- the Future (forehcoming trom Harvard cist er se. But as a psychologist, he Business School Pressin 2007),Gardnet believes that his frst responsibility is engitates on what itvakes to develop an to understand hot moral and ethical ethical windlset In this edited inter ‘capacities develop, of fail to develop, view with senior editor Bronwyn Frye, Hisreflstion on ethical ssues hasdeep Gardreroffershistboughts about what underpinnings and a very ong reach, managers must do todevelop and mait- In the seminal 1983 book Frames of tain high standards fr themselves al ‘Mind, he put Forth his theory thet ine their organiations, dividuals possess not one but mult- ple varieties of ineligence: linguistic, Whats an ethieal mind? logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily: Tn thinking of the mind as ase of cog kinestnetic, musical, interpersonal, and nitive capacities, it helps to distinguish intrapersonal, The theory, which Garde dhe ethical mind from the other four nercontindestorefine,hasfound broad minds that we particulary need to cu acceptance in the edwcational commmu- tvat iT we are to thrive as individual, nity and teachers around the globe tals a community, and as the human lor their lessons to the different kinds race. he fist ofthese, the disciplined of inetigence snind, is what we gain throush apply Gardner became personally em- ing ourselves in a disciplined way in broiled in ethical issues when he school. Over time, and with sufficient observed how his ideas were being adopted by educators: Some Schools and policy makers claimed that certain racial and ethnic groups were lacking specific intel Tigences. As the founder of the “If all workers in my p theory, he felt ab obligation to de did what Ido, what would nounee such distorted interpreta : tions of his work. Later, wien he ewan taught a course at Harvard called “Mind, Bein, and Education,’ he foundhimselfchinking about ethicaldi- training, we gain expertise in one or Jemmassuchas those involved in bain more elds: We become experts in proj and genetic testing and whether it's ect management, accounting, music, wise toshare troubling test results with dentistry, and so forth, A second kind of parents, partienlerly when no proven mind i the synthesizing mind, which intervention exists can survey a wide range of sources de Garner’ core insights Into the ethl- cide What fs nportant and worth pay calmind come from more than adozen ing attention to, and weave this infor Yyearsofstucying working profesionals, mation together in coherent fashion Since 1995, le and teams ofiavestigar for oneself and others. {For more on the tors at four universities have been ve- synthesizing min, se "The HBR List: searching the ways in which people as Breakthrough Ideas for 2006” (Feb pire to do good workthat is, work of ary 2006).) A third mind, the creating igh quality that matters to society,enr mind, casts about for new ideas and Ihances the lives of others, and is con- practices, innovates, takes chances is ducted in an ethical manner. The re- covers While each ofthese minds bas A person with an ethical mind asks, 52 Hervard Business few | March 2007 | org long been valuable, all of them are es sential in an era when we are deluged by information and when anything that «an be automated wilt be. Yet another kind of mind, les purely ‘opnitive in flavor than the firs three, is ‘the respectful mind: the kind of open mind that tries to understand and form relationships with other human beings. A person with a respectful mind enjoys being exposed to different types of people. While not forgiving of all, she gives others the benefit of ‘the doubt. An ethical mind broadens respect for others into something more ab- suract. A person with an ethical mind asks herself, "What kind of a person, worker, and citizen do I want to be? If all workers in my profession adopted the mind-set I have, or if everyone did what | do, what would the world be tke?” Is important to clarify the distine tion between the respectful and the ethical mind, because we assume that (one who is respectful is ethical and view versa. {think you can be respectful without understanding why: As a child, you might have respected your parents and grandparents because you were taught to. But ethical conceptions and behaviors demand a ceriain capacity to go beyond your own experience as an individual person, Once you have developed an ethical mind, you be- ‘come more like an impartial spec: tator ofthe team, the organization, the citizenry, the world. And you may have to sacrifice respect for another person if your role as a citizen or worker ealls ‘on you to do damage control to protect an ea or institution you believe in. Whistle blowers splay ethical minds. Many people might see a top manager doing something unethical, but they ‘won't do anything about it because they want to keep their jobs, and they feel that they rmust respect the Boss. A whistle-blower steps back (rom those concerns and considers the nature of work and the community in a larger way. He takes a mental leap past dailydoings; his allegiance is to the work place or the profession, He acts eth cally even though it may cost hima hisre spectful relation ta his supervisor and, ultimately, his job and relation to his colleagues He isable todo this because his own momentary well-being is ess Important than the broader mission he has enclorsed tesounds as ifthe ethical mind is fun ddamentally more community focused than any ofthe othor four mings thats true, then how does the ethics! rind develop? {An ethical orientation begins at home, whore chikizen see whether their par ents take pride in their work, whether they “play fat? whether they give the benefit of the doubt or are closed minded, and so on. Childeen absorb their parents religiousand political va ues, As children get older, their peers pecially in provides excellent infant and toddler centers and preschools. Children feel cared for by the community. So when ‘they grow up, they return this regard by caring for others. They become good ‘workers and good citizens. The tone has already been set at such a high level that one rarely encounters compro misedthal is, qualitatively or ethically sullied - work, And in such cases, the ethical action taken by the community is toostracize the compromised worker (in effec, if not by aw) so he does not undermine community mores. This stance orks as long as eve ‘hat everyone wins What gots in the way of the ethical ‘mind? Sadly.even ifyou grow up with astrong ethical sense, the bad behavior of oth nine it. A study con. ducted by Duke University recently found that 56% of students in the good work, they felt that they had to succeed by whatever means. When they had made their mark, they told us, they would then become exemplary workers, As young people go into business today, the temptation to skirt ethics is mounting, We ive in atime of intense pressure on individuals and organiza tions to cut comers, pursue their own interests, and forget about the effec of their behavior on others. Additionally, ‘many businesspeople have intemalized Milton Friedman's belief that if we Tet people pursue their interests and allow the processes of the marketplace to op- erate freely, positive moral ane ethical consequences will magically follov. ‘am not one to question the power and benefits of the marketplace in any ab solute sense, But markets are amoral; the line between shading earnings and committing outright fraud isnot always clear. The chief rabbi of the United ‘America. Just as influential is the be havior of the surrounding community toward its citizens. Are young 2nd old people cared for? Beyond the necessary Services, are there cultural and social events to learn from and participate in? Do parents take pert in these “gluing” activities and expect their children to {othe same? My favorite example of an ethical community is small city called Regio Emiliain nocthern Italy. Aside from pro viding high-quality services and cul- tural benefits to its citizens, the city United States pursuing a master's de gree in business administration admit to cheating.~the highest rate of cheat ing among graduate student groups. If you are a very ambitious MBA student and the people around you are cheat- ing on their exams, you may assume that cheating is the price of success, of maybe you do it because “everyone clogs it? You might even come to think cof ethical behavior asa luxury. 4 stucly we published in 2004 found that al though young professionals declared an understanding of and a desire to do borg Kingdom, jonathan Sacks, said it well: “wien everything that maiters can be bought snd sold, when commitments be broken because they are no longer to our advantage, when shop- ping becomes salvation and advertising, slogans become our litany, when our worth Is measured by how much we cearn and spend, then the market is de- stroying the very virtues on whieh in the long run it depends.” Confidence in business is undermined individuals distrust one another. Reggio Emilia seems light years avy. IMateh 2007 | Harvard Business Review $3HEAR OUR EDITORS tal fve-mincte Hance nth podcast that ts you hea HBR estos pre I leadership, strategy, me sfobatization, aad rvany otha Subjects, ard tho he upcoming eticies came tobe aaa ante o you think it’s more dificult for businesspeople to adhere to an ‘ethical mind than itis for other professionals? Yes, because strictly speaking, business is not-nor has it ever been a profes sion, Professions develop over long pet ‘i of time and gracually establish a set (oF control mechanisms and sanctions {or those who violate the code. True professional, from doctors and lawyers twengineers and architects, undergo ex tensive training and earn a license. If they do not act according to recognized standards, they cant be expelled from ‘theit professional guild. In addition, ‘mentoring Is an understood compo: nent of regulated professions: Amed- ical intern works with head residents or senior physicians who serve, in ptt, as ethical guides, But business lacks this model; you don't need al cense to practice. The oply requite rments are to make money and not run afoul ofthe lave Even ifyou start ‘out with high personal ethical stan- dards, i's easy to wander fT the proper path, because professional standards are a vocational option, not part ofthe territory. Certainly, there are businesspeople who act professionally, Who feel obligated to serve thelr cus- tomers and employees and communt- ies. Businesses can also voluntarily take on corporate social respansibiity. But there are no penalties if they elect not te. And some economists argue that itis illegitimate for businesses t0 direct profits toward anything other than shareholders. ‘Would you say that compromised ‘work is catching-In the same way that the emotional state of a lender affects others, as Daniel Goleman has observed?” Employees certainly listen towhat their leaders say, and they watch what thelr leaders and colleagues do even more carefully. Employees feel psychologi- cally embolcened or pressured to em late the bad behavior they seein eaders and others who get away with i? Alter- natively leaders who model ethical be havior especially in spite of the tempta tions of the market, inspire employees to-do likewise and thus win for their firms n the long run. Though hoary, the ‘example of CEO James Burke of John son & Johnson is still useful. When Burke immediately recalled all Tylenol products during the scare in the 19808, hhe exempiiied what it isto be ethical in the face of odds. In the end, his com pany benefited: Twenty five years later, Johnson & Johnson is rated in the top spot for corporate reputation amor large companies Te matters enormously whether the various interest groups with a stake in In business, it’s easy to wander off the proper path, because professional standards are a vocational option, not part of the territory. the work are in harmony or in conflict and whether the particular role models are confident about the hats they are wearing, When everyone is focused on the same thing, It's easier to do good work For example, in the late 19905, 0 studies found that geneticists in the United States had a relatively easy time pursuing good work because everyone was focuses! on the same ends of better health and longer li. We found that journalists had a harder sime pursuing good work because thelr desire to r= port objectively om the most important events clashed with the public's desire for sensationalism and the pressure from publishers to generate advertising dollars and avoid controversy ‘Thon the real tost of an individual's ~ ra company's-ethieal fiber Is what happens when there are potent pres- sures, How does one stand up to those pressures? Wel ifyou area leader, the best way for you to retain an ethical compass Is tobelieve doing soi essential for the good ‘of your organization. What are you ty: ing to achieve? What are your goals in the broad sense of doing good in the ‘world? Once you understand these fac tors, you must state your beliefs unwa- veringly from the first and tie rewards and sanctions to their realization. When everything is going. swim- rmingly, it is essier to hold yourself and others to igh standards—the costs fare not evident. But when circum: stances are tempting you to drop your standards, you have to practice rigor ‘us selthonesty. Being ethical really meas not fooling yourself or others. J recommen that you look in the mi ror from time to time, without squint ing, and ask yourself if you are pro- ceeding in ways you approve of, The questions to pose are "Am I being a {good worker? And ifnot, what can I do to beconte one?” 1 also believe that individuals ins crease their chances of carrying out good work when they make the vime and take the opportunity to reflect on their broadly formulated mission and determine whether they are progress ing toward its realization. Thete’s a great story ~ possibly apocryphal — about Janes Bryant Conant, the former president of Harvard. When he was of fered the presidency, he said, “I'm happy to take it, but L can’t come 10 work on Wednesdays, because [have ‘0 0 to Washington.” The hiring com Inittee agreed to this condition. In fact, Conant didn’t go t Washington on Wednesdays; he just took the time to bbe quiet end read. He felt he needed a day each week to be alone with his thoughts. All executives ought to be able to step back and reflect and think about the nature of thelr work, de- velop new work projects, or solve work problems. Another way to keep yourself on the ccthical path is to: undergo what I call “positive periodic inoculations” These ‘happen when you meet individuals or ‘have experiences that force you to ex amine what you're daing or to set a good example for others. A business ce RCRA RE | | ou You have no idea what a long week really feels like. | wucaron We're all business® ) 8 i wooo executive Jetrocucing the Wharton Leaming Continuum. From the pre-program coursework to the past-program follow up, i's a week that lasts your entre career, Request your information kit at execed@wharton.upenn.edu, or vist our website at executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu. {800.285.3932 S. oO +1.215,898.1776 (worlowl wade) oF (reference HBR ‘STRATEGIC PERSUASION: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF SELLING IDEAS > June 24-27, 2007 November 4-7, 2007 FULL-SPECTRUM INNOVATION: DRIVING ORGANIC GROWTH > Joie 25-27, 2007 EXECUTIVE NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP: BARGAINING FOR ADVANTAGE® > diy 22-27, 2007 November 11-18, 2007 ‘CREATING VALUE THROUGH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Univesity o7 PaxweivaniaICE | The Ethical Mine person might be inoculated by the model of Aaron Feuerstein, the owner ‘of Malden Mills, who kept paying his workers even after the mills burned down, Fenerstein’s action might in spire a leader to do something benefi- ial for employees, like give them an ‘opportunity to acquire a desired skill, ‘Another kind of inoculation call it an “antiviral” one~allows you to dravr ob ject lessons from instances of compro: mised work, When Arthur Andersen Went bankrapt following the Enron scandal, for example, auditors at other firms took a hard look at their own practices, ‘But we're all subject to sell-delusion, Certainly, one needs « more objective ‘gauge than oneself, Yes, and that’s why it’s important that other knowledgeable and candid inci viduals be consulted. Two worthy consultants could be your oven ‘mother ~“if she knew everything 1 was doing, what would she think?" — and the press, Michael Hackworth, the cofounder and chairman of Cirrus Logie, uses this personal temperature gauge: He sists that he will not do something ‘that would embarrass im if it were printed in the morning paper. Even If the stock drops temporarily, he knows that his honesty with the mirror builds his credibility in the long run, eal, businessleaders ought tohave thee types of counselors who are pre- pared to speak truth to their power. First, they need a trusted adviser within the organization, Second, they need the counsel of someone completely outskie the organization, preferably an old friend who isa peet. Third, they need a -gemninely independent board. Ifyou ac- ‘tually listen to these three sources of in- formation and act on the basis of what they say, then you cannot go too far ‘wrong. George W.Bush isan example oF leader who has lackedor atleast di regarded — this kind of frank feedback. Franklin D.Roosevelt sought it regularly ‘and was a far more effective president, 156. Harvort Business Review | March 2007 In hiring or promotion, aro thore ways ‘companies can sort the wheat from the chat? would be much wiser to admit people to business school who would never consider cheating~and there are some people like that~than to hope that at age 30, when they're on the make, slip- pery characters can sueldeniy be con verted Into responsible paragons. That said, there is no substitute for detailed, textured, confidential oral recommen: ations from individuals who know the candidates well and will be honest. 1 don't particularly trast written letters for the resus of psychological tests. A single interview is not much help, e: ther, A colleague of mine says "It takes ten lunches andl I think there is trutty inthar. T might also ask a young person about mentors. Our studies found that, across the board, many young profes If you are not prepared to resign or be fired for what you believe in, then you are not a worker, et alone a professional. You are a slave. sionals lack deep mentoring from indie viduals in authoritative positions. This wasn contrast to veteran professionals, who spoke about important mentors and role models So I might ask, "Who Jnfluenced you in cultivating a particu Jar moral climate, and why?" The influ ence of antimentors ~ potential role ‘models who had been unkind to their ‘employees or Who had shown behavior that others would not want to emu late-andaa lack of mentors issomething that we underestimated in our studies. [Negative ole models may be more pow erfal than is usually acknowledged. OF ‘course, ane has to listen carefully to which traits are considered to be post: ‘ive and which ones are critiqued. Some- ‘times the responses are surprising, horora What if you are in a position to speak ‘cuth to power? How do you gitd yourself for that task? With the assumption of authority and maturity comes the obligation to moni tor what our peers are doing and, when necessary, t0 cal] them 40 account. As the seventeenth-century French play: wright Jean-Baptiste Moligre declared, “Its not only for what we do that we are held responsible but for what we do not do? I fs not easy to confront offending Individuals. But it Is essential (F you ‘want to have an effective organization, be ita family ora Fortune 00 company, ‘Two factors make it easier. First, you need a firm belief that what you are doing is right for the organization. Sec- ‘ond, you don’t wait for egregious beh {ot As soon as you~or otiers~see warn ing signs, you confront them, not in an accusatory fashfon but in a factsinding mode: Ia person has been warned or eounseled, i is much easier to take action the next time a wrong is identited, As for confronting superior, if that is impossible, you are not in the right organization. Of course, it is helpful to consult with oth ‘ers, to make sure that your per ceptions are not aberrant. But if you are not prepared to resign or be fired for what you believe in, then you are not a worker, let alone a professional, You are a slave. Happily, in the United States, at least, most people have some options about where they work, ‘nthe end, you need to decide which side you're on. Thete are so many ways in whieh the world could spiral either up toward health and a decent life for all or down into poverty, disease, e20- logical disaster even nucleay warfare If you are in a position to help tip the Dalance, you owe it to yoursel, to your progeny, to your employees, to your community, and t0 the planet to do the right thing. 0 Raprint 07028 ‘Ta o1der, S00 page 18,