Make an Ethical Difference: Tools for Better Action

People are often skeptical that there is anything they can do to raise society's ethical level. Mark Pastin begs to differ. We can make a difference, and we don't need ethics ''experts'' to tell us what to do. He argues that we all have an innate ethical sense - what he calls an ''ethics eye.'' He offers tools for sharpening the ethics eye so we can see and do the right thing ourselves, particularly in the workplace, where our decisions can affect not just ourselves but coworkers, clients, customers, and even an entire organization. Seeing what's right is one thing - getting others to agree with you is another. With examples drawn from his decades of experience advising governments, corporations, and NGOs, Pastin shows how to identify competing interests, analyze the facts, understand the viewpoints, measure the benefits of different outcomes, and build consensus. You'll gain confidence in your ethical sense, make better leadership decisions, and take actions that elevate the ethics of the groups and organizations you belong to - and society as a whole.

"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
"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.