You notice a good employee starting to show up late a few mornings in a row, or someone who is usually steady seems distracted and not quite themselves. Nothing is clearly wrong, but enough has changed that you know something is going on, and you’re not sure what to do next.
- Do you have a conversation with them?
- Do you start handing out consequences?
- Or is this something more serious that could eventually lead to letting them go?
This is the kind of situation management coach Don Taylor calls an ethical dilemma.
“An ethical dilemma is when you’re trying to make a call between two or more options, and none of them feel clearly right or clearly wrong from an ethics standpoint,” Taylor said during a Professional Dairy Producers podcast.
This is not a black-and-white situation. Taylor notes that when someone clearly crosses the line, the decision is usually straightforward.
“There are some situations where someone clearly crosses the line, and we know right away it’s an immediate termination,” Taylor says. “Those cases are straightforward. That’s not what we’re talking about here.”
More often, these situations involve good employees when something in their life changes and it is not clear what is going on or how to respond. In those moments, farm leaders are balancing two things: supporting the person while protecting the operation.
Recognize When Something is Off
The first step is recognizing you are dealing with an ethical dilemma in the first place. In many cases, it starts with a gut check.
“Sometimes it’s just a gut feeling that something is off. It doesn’t feel right, and it’s not what you expect from that person,” Taylor says. “In those moments, it really tests your judgment and how you handle people.”
When something does not fit normal patterns or expectations, it usually means you need to pause and get more information before making a decision.
Focus on Facts, Not Assumptions
Once a concern is identified, it’s time to gather information. This starts with making sure decisions are not driven by bias or incomplete observations.
“We want to make sure personal blind spots or biases are not getting in the way. The goal is to gather as much accurate information as we can,” Taylor says.
This often means separating what is known from what is assumed and keeping conversations focused on what can be seen or verified, not opinions.
“We’re going to focus on the facts. If someone starts adding opinions, we’ll steer the conversation back to what we actually know,” Taylor says.
Listen Before Deciding
After information is gathered, the next step is to continue the conversation with the employee.
“Tell your employee, ‘I’m just curious, can you share anything else with me about what’s going on? Whatever is going on in your life is affecting your work, and I have an obligation to understand what that is,” Taylor says.
He emphasizes that in many of these situations, there is often more going on than what you see at first. Taking the time to listen helps you understand the full picture. That way, you are making a decision based on what is really happening, not just what it looks like on the surface.
“When we’re actively listening, we are taking ourselves completely out of the equation,” Taylor says. “All that we’re doing is processing information.”
Use Policy as a Guide
After understanding the situation, leaders should review company policies and past practices. Consistency is important, but rigid rules do not always account for real life circumstances.
Taylor cautions against overly strict approaches in areas where situations can vary significantly.
“I’m not a big fan of zero tolerance policies for this exact reason. If it’s zero tolerance, it’s zero tolerance,” Taylor says.
Instead, he recommends building in room for judgment.
“Unique situations should be handled on a case-by-case basis by the owner,” Taylor says.
That flexibility allows leaders to respond fairly while still staying aligned with the operation’s expectations.
Think Through the Options
With the facts and policies in mind, the next step is to step back and look at your options. Taylor refers to this as using “moral imagination.”
“We have to be creative, thinking up alternative options that are based on our core values, that are based on what we feel is simply the best thing to do in this situation,” Taylor says.
In practice, this means not jumping to the first or easiest answer. It might not be as simple as discipline or doing nothing. There may be a middle ground, like adjusting schedules, setting clear expectations, or putting a short-term plan in place while you learn more.
It also means thinking through how each option affects the rest of the team. Will others see the decision as fair? Will it create more work or tension? At the same time, consider what the employee needs and whether the decision gives them a realistic chance to improve.
At the end of the day, you need to pick an option you can stand behind. One that fits how you run your operation and how you expect people to be treated every day.
If You Miss it, Adjust
Not every situation is going to be handled perfectly, and that is part of working through these kinds of decisions. Taylor says what matters is being willing to look back, learn from it and make adjustments going forward.
“We own it. It’s our responsibility. We made the decision we admit that we could have done better,” Taylor says.
In the end, these situations come down to how you lead people day to day. Taking the time to understand what is going on, working through your options and being willing to adjust when needed helps build trust with your team and keeps the operation moving forward.
