I was recently asked by a client, who was traveling, to forge his signature for a software beta test we were applying to. I said that I was unwilling to forge his signature and when asked, "why?", I said that I had problems with it ethically.
The solution was simple, I signed his name on the documents and added "by PBB" (my initials). Additionally, I had the client send me an e-mail sharing that he had read the documents, was travelling and was authorizing me to sign on his behalf. I then printed and included the e-mail when I sent in the signed documents.
We should never be ethically uncomfortable with any business acts we are performing. Sometimes they are not so unusual (I know that it is not uncommon for an assistant to sign a document on behalf of his or her boss) and sometimes they may seem quite inappropriate. Gray is always a difficult area to operate in.
The awareness for today is to remember to remain true to yourself and to look at the big picture...it is not always difficult to tell right from wrong.
~Paul
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Monday, November 5, 2007
Personal Ethics
at 1:21 PM
Labels: Business, Communication, Other, Trust
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1 comment:
Paul, I really appreciate you discussing this. After having my identity stolen via forged signatures, I am very sensitive to this issue. Your solutions are simple and ethical. Thank you for reminding everyone that identity is personal, and signing for someone else has ethical implications. Documenting that you had the approval may seem extraneous to some, but will give you and the person you sign for peace of mind!
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