Grappling with the Gray #140: Deconstructing the big picture?

Should "what do I deserve" ever take a back seat to "what can I give"?

That's the question that drives the discussion when Lori Halverson, Allen Hauge, and Jeff Koziatek join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is the topic we’ll be discussing:

An employee posted the following on Reddit:

I lost a schedule bid at work recently to an employee with far less seniority. The reason given to me was, “He is a single father, and that schedule works better with his son’s school schedule.”

Not to be insensitive, but so what? My time is not less valuable because I have no kids. I get the logic, but I could not give a care about his schedule or his problems. I have done my time, and I earned that bid, plain and simple.

I have filed a grievance with HR. The crux of it is that I was discriminated against for not having kids, in an attempt to get the schedule I bid on. A few coworkers have mentioned off the cuff that I should let it go because he’s a single father. They’ve said I “don’t get it because I don’t have any kids.”

Responses on Reddit were mixed. On the one hand, seniority should carry privilege. On the other hand, shouldn’t actual needs trump personal preferences?

What’s the ethical approach to this kind of dilemma, and what can leaders do to navigate these kinds of conflicts?

Meet this week’s panel:

Lori Halverson is an executive coach, speaker, and Vistage chair, helping CEOs and top executives look forward to Mondays and flourish through positive intelligence.

Allen Hauge is a master chair with Vistage International, Inc. He works with CEOs to devise strategies for success in business and in life.

Jeff Koziatek is an executive coach and keynote speaker, 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.