Which of the following is one of the Ethical Choice Strategies according to Blanchard and Peale?

• A. The Bell
• B. The Book
• C. The Candle
• D. The Compass

Answer: (C)

In Blanchard and Peale’s framework, the Candle is the tool that centers on transparency and truth. It asks you to illuminate the issue by laying out all relevant facts, potential consequences, and your reasoning so that others can clearly understand why you’re choosing a certain course of action. This means you should be able to explain the decision openly to coworkers, managers, or stakeholders and defend it honestly under scrutiny. If you wouldn’t be comfortable sharing your reasoning or if important details would be hidden, the Candle signals that the action isn’t ethically ready.

For example, if there’s pressure to shorten a safety check to meet a deadline, lighting the candle would involve presenting all the risks, who might be affected, the policy requirements, and how you’d communicate this decision to the team and to leadership. If you can justify it transparently and responsibly, the choice aligns with ethical standards; if not, it’s a sign to rethink.

The other tools serve different purposes: the Bell helps you pause and bring attention to the issue; the Book directs you to relevant rules or codes; the Compass helps you align with your own values and those of the organization. The Candle is the one that emphasizes shining a light on the true nature of the decision and ensuring that the reasoning can stand up to public scrutiny.