Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

There has been a lot of debate in the past few years about what is ethical in business. There are certainly gray areas, but recognizing that your actions impact others is the first step toward ethical behavior. Here are two rules to consider when trying to do what’s right:

Help others while respecting their dignity. Offering assistance to colleagues is ethical. But, no matter how intended, the offer could come off as patronizing. Balance your desire to help with their need for self-respect.

Remember you are responsible to others. No one exists in isolation and while American work culture may emphasize individual achievement, remember that you rely on, impact, and collaborate with others.

Today’s Management Tip was adapted from “Students Teach Business Ethics” by John Paul Rollert.

To read that article and join the discussion, please click here.