The Courage to Have the Hard Conversations: Ethics, Faith, and Power in a Changing Landscape
Introduction
Ethics isn’t a passive subject or an academic checkbox. It’s lived, breathed, and tested daily—in our workplaces, institutions, and communities. Yet, in places where ethics should be a guiding force, there’s often hesitation. Why? Because ethics demands courage. It calls us to face uncomfortable truths, question power structures, and accept the tension of multiple realities.
But here’s the opportunity: We can do something about it.
I recently took an ethics course at a Christian university during a culturally charged time. What struck me wasn’t the complexity of the dilemmas we discussed, but the meaningful dialogues we didn’t engage in.
The Unspoken Tensions
This course—designed to be a safe space for engagement—sometimes felt reserved. We explored theoretical frameworks, but rarely stepped into how those ethics play out in real-world power dynamics. For instance, a classmate practicing immigration law had firsthand insights on policy changes, yet we only scratched the surface. Another classmate specialized in racial justice in the non-profit sector but was not called forth to speak into current events. Personal challenges—homosexuality, addiction, discrimination, faith, grief—surfaced in our case studies, but primarily in writing rather than open dialogue.
The tension was there—rich with potential for deeper understanding—but it remained largely unspoken. This tendency to tiptoe is bigger than any single university; it’s a cultural challenge.
The Ethics of Silence
Christianity, at its core, champions truth, justice, and courage. Yet modern Christian institutions (and indeed, many institutions) can grow hesitant, concerned about what might happen if they ask difficult questions. This isn’t about placing blame; it’s about recognizing a pattern. The same faith that once emboldened radical shifts can sometimes find itself in a holding pattern—preferring comfort over risk.
Jesus exemplified moral courage by confronting power. That boldness is why he challenged—and disrupted—established systems. So in an ethics course at a faith-based institution, one might expect open conversation on the ethical conflicts shaping our world. Yet institutions often fear consequences—donor dissatisfaction, political backlash, or simply losing ground.
The Cost of Avoidance
Would a secular university have facilitated more open dialogue? Possibly—but similar pressures exist everywhere. When any institution aligns too tightly with a particular ideology, it can struggle to engage in fearless ethical inquiry.
As practitioners—coaches, psychologists, business leaders—we’re trained to reduce bias and maintain safe spaces. Yet many institutions operate with competing pressures that limit open dialogue.
The Unique Role of Coaching in Ethical Conversations
Executive coaching stands at a fascinating crossroads, uniquely positioned to foster genuine ethical inquiry. Coaching, by design, aims to eliminate bias by challenging hidden assumptions within ourselves and the spaces we inhabit. This practice nurtures ethical maturity—the ability to see how biases shape not just personal decisions, but entire systems.
Bias is a human trait, shifting with our awareness. True change happens when we work with individuals and explore their experiences in a supportive environment. This is where ethical guidelines and wisdom become crucial. In coaching, people from all backgrounds, industries, and beliefs converge in a neutral space—a place where honest exploration is encouraged.
This, I believe, gives coaching industries a duty to lead on ethical discourse. Coaches can offer structured settings where bias is acknowledged, challenged, and transformed. But how do we bring these coaching tools into real-life organizational spaces—where biases have high-stakes consequences?
Creating the Space for Truth
So, how do we ensure ethical conversations thrive in environments that may resist them?
Acknowledge Power Dynamics
If a topic feels off-limits, it’s a clue that it needs to be discussed. Institutions should name conflicts of interest and face them head-on.
Move Beyond Passive Ethics
Ethics is more than learning concepts—it’s practicing moral courage. We need real-world opportunities and safe forums to discuss ethical dilemmas without fear.
Build Safe, Challenging Spaces
People often discover what they truly believe only when they speak their thoughts aloud—sometimes raw or uncomfortable. By providing guided dialogues and workshops, we allow individuals to refine their thinking.
Recommit to Ethical Leadership
Institutions that value moral integrity must show it in action: standing in the fire of tough conversations. Leaders who do this model the kind of courage that inspires real progress.
Bring Ethical Inquiry into Organizations
The deep, skillful exploration of bias we practice in coaching can (and should) be integrated into business strategy, leadership development, and policy. By doing so, we ensure ethical progress ripples beyond coaching sessions and into tangible results.
Conclusion: A Call to Courage
We’re at a tipping point. Cultural and political divides won’t dissolve on their own. Avoidance is not a solution. Ethical dialogue must find a home in institutions that shape our moral and professional frameworks—and it must start with us.
Ask yourself: Where do you see silence in your own life or workplace? What can you do to gently, but courageously, break it?
The work of ethics is not about upholding power structures—it’s about examining them for integrity. And that requires something we could use more of: courage.
Let’s move forward, together, by creating the safe spaces and honest conversations that transformative ethics demand. Remember, a single courageous voice can spark a revolution of transparency and truth.
