Grappling with the Gray

Are you ethical? Only by investigating all sides and contemplating every angle can we improve ethical decision-making, build more trusting relationships, and help create a more ethical world. Join our panel of leaders and thinkers as we grapple with a new ethical challenge each week.

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Grappling with the Gray

Grappling with the Gray #102: The beam in your I?

August 28, 2024 • Yonason Goldson • Episode 102

How responsible am I for other people's irresponsible behavior?

That's the question that drives the conversation when Jeff Koziatek, • Sam Silverstein, CSP, CPAE, and Kirsten Yurich join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is this week's ethics challenge:

Your house is adjacent to the entrance of a primary school. Morning drop-offs and afternoon pickups are always a mess as cars jockey for position on the narrow street. Often, parents mount the curb as they back up in order to make their turns.

Occasionally, they bump into the four-inch post that supports your backyard fence. Sometimes, they hit it hard enough to dislodge or break it. You complain to the school and to the parents, but your objections aren’t taken seriously and the damage continues.

During summer break, you replace the wooden post with an iron ‘I’ beam and paint it brown to match the color of the fence. It’s not long into the next school year when you get a knock at your door.

An irate parent is demanding that you pay for the damage to their car from hitting your post. This parent won’t be the last. You point out that the parent was both breaking the law by mounting the curb and reckless for doing so at high enough speed to cause damage. Then you shut the door in their face.

This story, posted on Reddit, was celebrated by commenters. But was the homeowner’s response the right thing to do?

Meet this week’s panelists:

Jeff Koziatek is a certified speaker and peak performance coach, helping professionals to navigate change, sharpen focus, avoid burnout, and make a difference. He is also one of St. Louis Business Monthly's 100 St. Louisans you should know.

Sam Silverstein is Founder of The Accountability Institute. He is an executive consultant on workplace culture, a Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, and author of numerous books including “No More Excuses” and “The Accountability Advantage.”

Kirsten Yurich is an Organizational Performance Management Consultant, Peer Leaders Group Chair with Vistage Worldwide, Inc., and Adjunct Professor of Education at Felician University.