The Uncertainty E.D.G.E. Podcast explores what judgment looks like in practice when certainty is impossible.
I am a judgment guide. I help people act when the stakes are real, tradeoffs are unavoidable, and certainty isn’t coming. My value is not tactical insights, prediction, or optimization. It is guiding people to build their capacity for judgment under uncertainty.
Each episode examines a real decision moment—where real outcomes, real people, and real tradeoffs were at stake. Rather than focusing on outcomes or hindsight explanations, the conversations stay close to the decision itself: what could not be known at the time, what pressures were present, and how judgment was exercised without guarantees.
This is not a podcast about best practices, leadership slogans, or forecasting the future. It is about how people responsible for consequential decisions actually decide when responsibility can’t be delegated and waiting for clarity is itself a risk.
The podcast is for people accountable for decisions that matter—often without full control or authority—who must act with clarity and judgment when certainty is impossible.
Listeners might be interested in The Uncertainty E.D.G.E. newsletter as well. Check out at www.theuncertaintyedge.com. Hosted by Sam Sivarajan.
The Uncertainty E.D.G.E. Podcast explores what judgment looks like in practice when certainty is impossible.
I am a judgment guide. I help people act when the stakes are real, tradeoffs are unavoidable, and certainty isn’t coming. My value is not tactical insights, prediction, or optimization. It is guiding people to build their capacity for judgment under uncertainty.
Each episode examines a real decision moment—where real outcomes, real people, and real tradeoffs were at stake. Rather than focusing on outcomes or hindsight explanations, the conversations stay close to the decision itself: what could not be known at the time, what pressures were present, and how judgment was exercised without guarantees.
This is not a podcast about best practices, leadership slogans, or forecasting the future. It is about how people responsible for consequential decisions actually decide when responsibility can’t be delegated and waiting for clarity is itself a risk.
The podcast is for people accountable for decisions that matter—often without full control or authority—who must act with clarity and judgment when certainty is impossible.
Listeners might be interested in The Uncertainty E.D.G.E. newsletter as well. Check out at www.theuncertaintyedge.com. Hosted by Sam Sivarajan.
Episode Summary
In this compelling conversation, Sam Sivarajan sits down with Guido Palazzo, a Professor of Business Ethics, to unpack the complex world of ethical decision-making in organizations. Together, they examine how well-intentioned people can make harmful decisions under pressure, the profound impact of corporate culture on ethical behavior, and why context often matters more than personal values when it comes to moral choices.
Professor Palazzo draws on real-world scandals, including the infamous Wells Fargo account fraud case, to illustrate how organizational pressures can create "ethical blindness" that leads good people astray. The discussion emphasizes the critical role leaders play in fostering cultures that not only permit but actively encourage ethical conversations and decision-making processes.
Key Takeaways
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ethical Decision-Making
03:06 Guido Palazzo's Journey into Ethics
05:52 The Dark Pattern: Understanding Ethical Blindness
11:41 Context Over Character: The Wells Fargo Scandal
32:10 Fake It Till You Make It: The Silicon Valley Spirit
35:47 Creating a Bright Pattern: Ethical Decision-Making by Design
52:04 Staying Morally Grounded: Do No Harm, Take No Shit
Memorable Quotes
"The evil is banal."
"You have to be the best."
"Do no harm, take no shit."
Tags
business ethics • ethical decision-making • corporate culture • leadership • moral judgment • ethical blindness • Wells Fargo scandal • financial services • organizational ethics • dark patterns
This episode offers valuable insights for leaders, managers, and anyone interested in understanding how ethical decision-making works in practice within organizational contexts.