The Ethics of Picking a Vice-President

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As I've noted in a previous column (BusinessWeek.com, 3/18/08), criticizing a person's position isn't the same thing as criticizing that person, and Presidents, of all people, should not only accept criticism; they should welcome and encourage it. The mission of the President is a moral one: to make the best possible decision for the country, and having a Vice-President who will question the President and force him to do his best thinking is best for the country.

With this in mind, it becomes clear what the ultimate standard ought to be for choosing a running mate.

"Who Would Be Best for the Nation?"

This is the first and last question that Obama and McCain ought to ask themselves when narrowing the field of Vice-Presidential candidates. Yes, it's important to win the race, and finding candidates who won't shrink from speaking their mind is all to the good. But both of these factors must be in the service of, well, being of service to the country. If McCain or Obama believes a person is not going to be the best Vice-President and best potential successor, that candidate should simply not be considered, no matter how appealing on the ticket.

What I'm proposing here may be radical, naive, and out of touch with the modern world. That's O.K. After all, ethics isn't about describing the way the world is. It's about considering how the world might be if we were to focus on the things that matter most. When thinking about filling the No. 2 spot, Obama and McCain should be thinking not only about victory for themselves in the short run, but about prosperity for the rest of us in the long run.

Lessons for Business and Beyond

Based on the above considerations, business executives and others in a leadership role would do well to heed the following when looking for and grooming a successor:

1. Keep your eyes on the prize, which is about helping the organization meet its mission, not burnishing your own reputation, doing a favor for a friend or family member, or the like. This means that serving the interests of your stakeholders should be your first consideration in all that you do, including finding someone to take over your job.

2. Embrace criticism, now and forever. It's a sign of strength, not weakness, to encourage people who are second in command to speak up when they think you're going off course. Having your ideas challenged from time to time will help make you a better leader and will lead to well-thought-out decisions.

3. Remember the most important question of all. It's not "How do we get from A to B?," but "Is B worth getting to in the first place?" For the organization to continue flourishing, your successor must share your commitment to doing the right thing for the right reasons.

It's not just McCain and Obama but all of us in leadership roles who should keep in mind that what it's all about is making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is why ethics must be a central concern—not an afterthought—when the time comes to find the best person to succeed us.

Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D. is the corporate consultant and public speaker known as The Ethics Guy. He has appeared on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "Anderson Cooper 360," "American Morning," and many other national television shows. His column, "The Ethics Guy," appears every other week on businessweek.com/managing/.