The Ethical Triangle: A Simple Framework for Better Decisions

Leadership gets complicated fast.

Photo by said alamri on Unsplash

Pressure builds.
Information is incomplete.
Emotions run high.
Stakeholders disagree.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, you have to make a decision.

The problem isn’t usually a lack of intelligence. It’s a lack of structure. When ethical decisions get messy, leaders need a framework that forces clarity.

That’s where the Ethical Triangle comes in.

The Ethical Triangle examines decisions from three angles:

1. Principles-Based Ethics

2. Values-Based Ethics

3. Consequences-Based Ethics

Instead of reacting emotionally or impulsively, the triangle forces leaders to pause and analyze from multiple perspectives before acting.

Let’s break it down.

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1. Principles-Based Ethics — What Rules or Duties Apply?

Principles-based ethics focuses on duties, laws, rules, and moral obligations.

This approach asks:

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• What policies apply here?

• What laws govern this decision?

• What professional standards must I uphold?
  

• What commitments have I made?

In education, this might involve student privacy laws or district policy.
In business, it might involve contracts or compliance regulations.
In leadership, it might involve professional codes of conduct.

Principles create boundaries. They prevent chaos and ensure fairness.

However, principles alone do not solve every ethical dilemma. Sometimes rules conflict. Sometimes they don’t fully address complex human situations.

That’s why the triangle has two other sides.

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2. Values-Based Ethics — What Aligns With Our Core Beliefs?

Values-based ethics focuses on identity and character.

It asks:

• Who are we as an organization?

• What do we claim to stand for?

• Does this decision reflect integrity?

• Does it align with our mission?

This approach connects directly to organizational values—whether that’s honesty, service, loyalty, respect, accountability, or excellence.

If principles are the guardrails, values are the compass.

A decision might technically follow the rules but still violate the spirit of your organization’s stated beliefs. When that happens, trust erodes.

Values force leaders to ask:
Is this consistent with who we say we are?

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3. Consequences-Based Ethics — Who Is Affected and How?

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Consequences-based ethics examines outcomes.

It asks:

• Who benefits from this decision?

• Who might be harmed?

• What are the short-term impacts?

• What are the long-term ripple effects?

• Does this create more good than harm?

In schools, this might mean considering student morale or parental trust.
In business, it might mean evaluating employee impact or customer confidence.
In leadership, it might mean weighing reputation and culture.

Consequences force leaders to think beyond the immediate moment and consider broader impact.

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Why You Need All Three

If you rely only on principles, you risk becoming rigid.
If you rely only on values, you risk inconsistency.
If you rely only on consequences, you risk justifying questionable actions for “the greater good.”

The strength of the Ethical Triangle is balance.

Strong leaders examine decisions from all three perspectives before acting.

When a decision aligns with:

• Sound principles

• Core values

• Responsible consequences

It becomes defensible, transparent, and credible.

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How the Ethical Triangle Applies Everywhere

In Schools

• Discipline decisions

• 

  Photo by 愚木混株 Yumu on Unsplash

  
  Grading disputes

• Parent communication

• Policy enforcement

In Coaching

• Playing time decisions

• Conflict resolution

• Team standards

• Injury management

In Business

• Hiring and firing

• Budget allocation

• Competitive strategy

• Crisis management

The framework slows you down just enough to make better decisions without becoming paralyzed.

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A Free Decision-Making Tool

To make this practical, I created an Ethical Triangle Decision-Making Framework that walks leaders through each side step-by-step.

It’s available FREE here:
👉 https://johnvandusen.com/books%2Fjournals%2Fproducts/ols/products/ethical-triangle-decision-making-framework

Use it for leadership meetings.
Use it for staff development.
Use it for personal reflection.

Ethical clarity builds organizational strength.

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Final Thought

Ethical decisions rarely come with flashing warning signs. They arrive quietly—often disguised as pressure, urgency, or convenience.

The Ethical Triangle gives leaders structure in moments that matter most.

Examine the principles.
Test against your values.
Evaluate the consequences.

That’s how trust is built.
That’s how integrity is protected.
That’s how leaders stay credible—even under pressure.

Teach it. Coach it. Lead.
JVD

Understanding Culture: Edgar Schein’s 3 Levels Explained

 Every organization has a culture.

You can feel it when you walk into a building.
You can sense it in meetings.
You can see it in how people talk to each other.

Photo by Haseeb Jamil on Unsplash

But culture isn’t just “vibes.” It’s layered, complex, and powerful.

One of the most useful frameworks for understanding culture comes from organizational psychologist Edgar Schein, who described culture as operating on three distinct levels:

1. Artifacts

2. Espoused Beliefs and Values

3. Underlying Assumptions

If you want to lead change, improve morale, or strengthen performance, you must understand all three.

Let’s break it down.

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Level 1: Artifacts — What You Can See

Artifacts are the visible parts of culture.

They include:

• Dress code

• Office layout

• Classroom setup

• Rituals and traditions

• Language and jargon

• Slogans on the wall

• Awards and recognition systems

• How meetings are run

Artifacts are easy to observe—but often difficult to interpret.

For example:

• An open-door policy sign is an artifact.

• A mission statement on the wall is an artifact.

• A team chant before a game is an artifact.

But artifacts alone don’t tell you whether those values are actually lived out.

Artifacts show you what the organization says and displays. They do not automatically reveal what the organization truly believes.

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Level 2: Espoused Beliefs and Values — What We Say We Believe

This level includes the stated values, philosophies, and strategies an organization claims to uphold.

Examples:

• “We value teamwork.”

• “Students come first.”

• “Safety is our top priority.”

• “We are customer-focused.”

• “We believe in accountability.”

Photo by Beau Carpenter on Unsplash

These beliefs shape policies, expectations, and decision-making.

But here’s the leadership challenge:

Sometimes what organizations say they believe does not match what they actually reward or tolerate.

When artifacts and espoused values align, trust grows.
When they don’t, cynicism spreads.

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Level 3: Underlying Assumptions — What We Actually Believe

This is the deepest level of culture.

Underlying assumptions are the unconscious beliefs that truly drive behavior.

They are rarely written down.
They are often invisible.
But they are incredibly powerful.

Examples:

• “Conflict should be avoided.”

• “Leaders shouldn’t admit mistakes.”

• “Results matter more than relationships.”

• “New ideas are risky.”

• “Change is dangerous.”

These assumptions shape daily decisions without people even realizing it.

If you want to change culture, you must uncover these assumptions. Adjusting artifacts without addressing assumptions is like painting over rust.

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Why This Matters for Leaders

Many leaders try to change culture by changing artifacts.

They redesign the office.
They update the logo.
They rewrite the mission statement.
They introduce new slogans.

But if underlying assumptions stay the same, nothing meaningful changes.

Real cultural change requires:

• Honest conversations

• Alignment between words and actions

• Leaders modeling the values they claim

• Systems that reinforce the right behaviors

• Consistency over time

Culture is not built by posters. It’s built by patterns.

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How This Applies to Schools, Teams, and
Businesses

In Schools

Artifacts: classroom décor, grading systems, staff meetings.
Espoused values: “We care about students.”
Assumptions: Do we truly believe every student can succeed?

In Athletics

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Artifacts: uniforms, slogans, pregame rituals.
Espoused values: “Team first.”
Assumptions: Do we reward selfish play if it wins games?

In Business

Artifacts: company branding, office perks, leadership messaging.
Espoused values: “People are our greatest asset.”
Assumptions: Are decisions actually made based on short-term profit over people?

Alignment across all three levels builds credibility.

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If You Want to Diagnose Your Culture

Ask these three questions:

1. What do we display? (Artifacts)

2. What do we say we believe? (Espoused Values)

3. What behaviors are consistently rewarded or tolerated? (Underlying Assumptions)

Where there is alignment, culture is strong.
Where there is misalignment, culture fractures.

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See It in Action

I recently presented on culture and climate for M.J. Electric, walking through Schein’s framework and how it applies to real organizations under pressure.

You can watch a clip that describes a potential artifact here:
👉 https://youtu.be/VGvS9pUOH1s?si=nwTAmceqLTY4VG0M

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Final Thought

Culture is not accidental.
It is built layer by layer.

Artifacts show the surface.
Beliefs explain the strategy.
Assumptions reveal the truth.

If you want to strengthen your organization, don’t just adjust the visible pieces. Go deeper. Align all three levels.

That’s how real culture change happens.

Teach. Coach. Lead.
JVD

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Sources & Credits

The Three Levels of Organizational Culture framework was developed by Edgar Schein and outlined in his work Organizational Culture and Leadership (Jossey-Bass).

This post was drafted with the assistance of AI (ChatGPT) and edited by Mr. VanDusen.

The Army Leader Competencies: What Leaders Are Expected to Do

https://www.ncolcoe.army.mil/News/Article/4035893/
investing-in-people-to-enhance-leadership-excellence/

If the Army Leader Attributes answer the question “Who are you as a leader?”, then the Army Leader Competencies answer a different—and equally important—question:

“What are you actually doing as a leader?”

Leadership is not a title, a rank, or a personality trait. In the Army, leadership is defined by action. The
Leader Competencies provide a clear, observable framework for what effective leaders must consistently do to build teams and accomplish the mission.

These competencies apply far beyond military formations. Teachers, coaches, administrators, and business leaders will recognize them immediately—because great leadership looks the same in every profession.

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What Are the Army Leader Competencies?

The Army organizes leadership action into three core competencies:

1. Leads

2. Develops

3. Achieves

Together, they form the behavioral side of the Army Leadership Model. While attributes describe internal qualities, competencies describe deliberate, repeatable actions leaders must take.

Strong leaders balance all three. Neglecting even one creates gaps in trust, performance, or long-term success.

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Leads: Influencing and Guiding Others

The first competency focuses on how leaders influence people and provide direction.

Leads Others

Leaders set the tone. They communicate purpose, establish expectations, and motivate people toward shared goals.

In civilian life, this looks like:

• Clearly communicating priorities

• Setting standards and enforcing them consistently

• Modeling professionalism and ethical behavior

Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

People follow clarity more than charisma.

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Extends Influence Beyond the Chain of Command

Leadership does not stop at formal authority.

Effective leaders build relationships, collaborate across teams, and influence outcomes even when they don’t “own” the problem.

This is critical in:

• Schools working across departments

• Coaching staffs coordinating roles

• Businesses operating in matrixed organizations

Influence is built on credibility and trust—not position.

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Leads by Example

This is where leadership becomes visible.

Leaders are always on display. Their work ethic, attitude, and behavior signal what is acceptable.

When leaders:

• Show up prepared

• Stay calm under pressure

• Admit mistakes

• Treat people with respect

Others follow suit.

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Communicates

Leadership lives and dies on communication.

Strong leaders:

• Share information early

• Listen actively

• Clarify intent

• Reduce uncertainty

Poor communication creates friction. Clear communication creates momentum.

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Develops: Building People and Organizations

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The second competency ensures leaders aren’t just producing results today—but building capacity for tomorrow.

Creates a Positive Environment

Leaders shape culture whether they mean to or not.

Positive environments are:

• Safe

• Disciplined

• Trust-based

• Accountable

People perform better where they feel respected and supported.

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Develops Others

Leadership is multiplication, not accumulation.

Developing others includes:

• Coaching

• Mentoring

• Providing feedback

• Creating growth opportunities

Leaders who hoard knowledge weaken the organization. Leaders who develop people strengthen it.

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Stewards the Profession

This means leaving the organization better than you found it.

In civilian terms, stewardship looks like:

• Upholding ethical standards

• Protecting organizational values

• Preparing future leaders

• Caring about long-term success, not just short-term wins

Stewardship separates managers from leaders.

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Achieves: Getting Results

The final competency is about execution.

Leadership without results is just talk.

Gets Results

Effective leaders:

• Prioritize correctly

• Manage time and resources

• Hold people accountable

• Adjust when plans change

They focus effort where it matters most.

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Balances Mission and People

Achieving is not about burning people out.

Strong leaders:

• Push for excellence

• Protect their team

• Sustain performance over time

Results matter—but how you get them matters just as much.

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Why the Leader Competencies Matter

The Army Leader Competencies ensure leadership is:

• Observable

• Teachable

• Assessable

• Repeatable

They prevent leadership from becoming vague or personality-driven. Instead, they provide a professional standard for action.

When paired with strong leader attributes, these competencies allow leaders to:

• Build trust

• Develop strong teams

• Navigate complexity

• Accomplish missions

• Sustain organizations over time

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Final Thought

Leadership is not about intentions—it’s about impact.

The Army Leader Competencies give leaders a clear answer to the question, “Am I actually leading?” They remind us that leadership requires influence, investment in people, and consistent execution.

If you want to grow as a leader:

• Lead with clarity

• Develop others intentionally

• Achieve results responsibly

That’s leadership that lasts.

Teach. Coach. Lead.
JVD

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Sources & Credits

The Army Leader Competencies are defined in U.S. Army doctrine, including FM 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession, which outlines the Army Leadership Requirements Model and the competencies of Leads, Develops, and Achieves.

This post was drafted with the assistance of AI (ChatGPT) and edited by Mr. VanDusen.