"The worst time for your people to feel alone is during an ethical dilemma."
This provocative statement came from Jack and Suzy Welch (BusinessWeek, May 26, 2008) in their answer to an IT consultant who wished to accept outside work on weekends. The point they are making, and one worth repeating, is the importance of establishing a confidential process in which employees can surface questionable issues without the fear of intimidation or misunderstanding.
No matter what size organization, employees must be able to ask for clarification and direction. Never make them assume a course of action.