Business Ethics Quiz for Managers and Leaders

I remember being a fresh college graduate stepping into my first management role. During an overnight business trip, I stopped for breakfast at Denny’s and bought a newspaper on my way in. Since the newspaper I had already paid for was sitting unread on my doorstep at home, it seemed perfectly reasonable to expense the one I purchased that morning.

A week later, my expense report came back approved — except for the 25 cents charged for the newspaper. Apparently, newspapers were clearly NOT reimbursable at my company. My immediate thought was simple: I could easily add another dollar to the tip section. Who would notice one dollar hidden among hundreds of dollars in expenses?

Suddenly, I had a 25-cent ethical dilemma on my hands.

A Business Ethics Quiz: What Would You Do?

Ethical decisions in leadership are rarely limited to major scandals. Often, the real business ethics test comes through small daily decisions that reveal integrity, honesty, and character.

Consider the following workplace scenarios as your own business ethics quiz:

• Should you mention during a reference call that your friend was fired from their previous job?
• Should you retaliate against an employee by withholding a promotion because they refused a corporate relocation?
• Should you terminate an employee who was drunk on the job?
• Should an employee be disciplined for stealing from the company?
• What should you do when a Christian employee spends company time sharing their faith while their department consistently misses budget goals?
• If you are asked to work on a project that violates your biblical beliefs, should you participate because you need the job?
• If an unmarried co-worker invites you to dinner while you are both traveling for business and staying at the same hotel, should you accept?

Why Ethics Matters in Leadership

Every manager and executive eventually faces situations like these. That’s why many organizations now use a business ethics quiz or leadership training exercises to help managers evaluate how they respond under pressure.

Ethics is more than a company handbook or a list of corporate rules. Without a consistent moral foundation, people begin creating their own standards as situations arise. Eventually, behaviors like manipulating financial reports, misusing company credit cards, or hiding inappropriate conduct can start to seem acceptable.

Strong leadership requires a clear moral compass — a standard that remains true regardless of convenience or personal gain.

The Foundation of Christian Business Ethics

Christian ethics experts often explain that ethics must be rooted in the character of a moral and ethical God. For example, because God is just, leaders should demonstrate justice in how they manage people and make decisions.

Traits such as kindness, fairness, humility, compassion, forgiveness, honesty, and love are not simply good leadership strategies — they reflect Godly character that leaders are called to model in the workplace.

In many ways, good ethics is simply good business. Ethical leadership builds trust, strengthens organizations, and creates healthier workplace cultures.

Business Ethics for Managers and Leaders Videos and Resources

For leaders who want to dive deeper into workplace ethics and decision-making, Convene recommends the book Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics by Dr. Scott Rae.

Additionally, professionals searching for business ethics for managers and leaders videos may benefit from Dr. Scott Rae’s lecture on Ethics in the Workplace presented at Talbot Seminary.

Some professionals also search for terms like ethics quiz or Atana ethics quiz when looking for workplace ethics training and leadership development tools.

About Greg Leith

Greg Leith is the CEO of Convene. Born in Canada, he has lived in all four corners of North America. His career spans more than 35 years of senior leadership experience across corporate, nonprofit, and academic sectors.