ALL CHAPTERS
Chapter Six
The Matter of Ethics
“That’s what makes this work so exciting. Will I survive or have I committed career suicide? And so perhaps the moral of the story…. is always do the right thing. Do your job.”
- Geert Van Dee
Ask a veteran consultant about industry ethics and you’ll get an animated, strongly-voiced response: of course we’re honest and of course we hold ourselves to the highest standards, both personally and within our firms. It’s almost an article of faith among consultants.
Ask the question a second time and you’ll get a slightly different response: that regardless of your own or your firm’s ethical code, being honest is simply good business. Our veterans have learned over the years that consulting is a long-term business, and nothing is more important than the reputation of being honest. If you lose your reputation, you are out of business. Good bye, see you later.
Where is this matter of ethics most important? Our veterans (for the most part) zero in on resolving what is good for the client and what is good for the firm. To whom is the consultant responsible? The client contact? The company itself? His or her own firm? And what if the client is the problem? The answers aren’t always obviously black and white: rather they are more nuanced. Sometimes being absolutely right now isn’t the best answer for either the client or the firm in the long run.
At the end of this chapter, we are pleased to offer insight from Alan Andolsen, who has chaired the Code of Ethics Committee for the Association of Management Consulting Firm. In addition to offering his perspectives, he includes in his response the 12 Principles that have been adopted by the Association of Management Consulting Firms.
Ethical Consultants
“Even When They Are Wrong, Consultants Are Ethical”
In my practice I have found that consultants are extremely ethical. I do a lot of work in the confidentiality field. I’ve got about 100 clients, whether firms or individuals and I’ve seen them across the board in terms of how they operate. But without exception, consultants maintain client confidences. Everything that I’ve seen has always been extremely ethical.
You can read the rest of The Wisdom of Wizards by clicking here