Work places are said to be the real world after attaining a certain degree in education. People look after the careers by which they can be able to apply what they have learned from their past education and specifications. In the working life of many people, there are circumstances by which we encounter others that might have different perspectives than us. There can be conflicts arising due to the diversity of norms and social aspects that we are used to. With this, personal ethics might come into action that will solve or worsen the problem or difficulty in the work place.Personal ethics and values are important for individual evaluation. These are necessary in the achievement of personal, organizational and societal goals and mission. Mission and vision should also be present in order for us to be stable personally and professionally. This paper contains an analysis and evaluation of personal and professional ethics and values.
Personal Ethics, Mission and Vision Statement
In his book, What Makes a Leader, Toler (2006) stated that leaders may not have all the answers to every single problem that we may encounter. He also added:
Leadership isn’t about showing people how energetic, enthusiastic, or entrepreneurial you are. It’s about gaining enough knowledge and wisdom to move people and plans from obscurity to excellence. Leaders are always on a learning curve. They know they haven’t arrived until they’ve shown someone else by their example how to be the best they can be.
Doing the right thing – this is my guiding light in fulfilling any task. An ancient adage states that, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” I firmly believe that doing the right thing is more important than doing things right. Correct methodology without the proper motives is shallow at best and evil at worst. A person who knows how to link motives with methods are the most qualified to be a leader.
Affirmation and proper support is an essential skill that must be possessed by a leader or a manager. Everyone has an innate need to be valued, recognized, or included. To be effective in the fulfilment of any task, it should be recognized that a pat on the back has enough force to propel an associate towards excellence.
Vision is necessary in order to get to a desired end. We should have an eye, not only pointed at the horizon, but also beyond it. The Holy Bible states that “Without vision, people perish.” I believe that status quo should be set as a springboard for further improvements and innovations.
Priority is also an essential guide in any personal undertaking. In order to be an effective individual, one should be able to do the important things first. Therefore, one must have the skill to differentiate tasks and order them according to importance. I personally believe that being able to decide which tasks are truly important to the achievement of a goal is essential in carrying out any personal or professional responsibility. Careful selection must be undertaken and this is an important mark of leadership.
Credibility has its prerequisites. And being credible enough is important for any individual with goals and mission. Telling the truth is one thing, but being believed is another. And credibility is needed to be believed and trusted by other people. Consistency is the key to be trustworthy and credible in the eyes of other people.Having great ideas is good, but taking action is rather essential. Actions should be based on the knowledge of available resources. One should refuse to commit if the cause has no obvious means of support.
No one will truly trust someone who is selfish. An effective person does not care about the laurels or the accolades; he/she displays that seldom-seen virtue of humility. Putting the mission above one’s own desires is paramount towards achieving respect. A person with a small ego is treated highly by other people.
A person who desires to lead should know how to evaluate their efforts. One should be able to listen to criticisms without taking offense. For as long as the direction is clear, criticisms can only propel an effective person towards his/her objectives at a faster rate.Discipline and self control are my personal advocacies. Work habits can only be established when these traits exist. These are precursors of dependability, punctuality, consistency, and trustworthiness. Discipline should never be an option but an obligation. Any task requires a steady and sustained effort necessary to accomplish a mission or reach an end.
Organization’s Workplace Values
My organization has a definite set of workplace code of ethics I should adhere to. My organization requires me to recognize and practice professionalism in any task I perform. According to Timmerhaus et al. (2004), in any professional activity, professionals are obliged to pursue their profession with the highest level of ethical behaviour.Above anything else, I believe that the public’s safety and welfare should be the topmost consideration in the course of performance of my duty as a professional. Employers and clients should be always informed of the implications and consequences of my professional duties, and assure that my professional duties would not have any adverse effect to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
We should be accountable to the general public for they are any company’s bread and butter. The very reason why there is any professional duty is the existence of the general public. We as professionals should take the public as the primary consideration in the undertaking of any professional task, whether it is small or large scale.I firmly believe that I should accept responsibility for my actions and recognize other people’s contributions. Taking full responsibility is essential for this is an important gauge for accountability. This will assure that I will not perform professional tasks half-heartedly. And likewise, I recognize other people’s contributions and I will not take other people’s merits.
In any work I perform, I would strive to ask for other professionals’ critical review. I am not perfect, thus, there is nothing wrong with seeking review. This will help me improve my work as a professional, thus making me more eligible to perform larger and more pressing tasks. When other professionals ask me to do such, I would offer objective criticism to their works. All statements I issue and information I present would be bound by objectivity and truthfulness. In the same way as I would like to receive comments that are impartial and free of bias, thus I would issue statements bounded by such premises as well.
In the best of my ability, I do my tasks for my employers and clients in the most professional manner, and I treat them as trustees. I clearly define my purpose and role as a professional, so as to avoid conflicts of interest.
Conflicts of interest should be avoided because it would be detrimental not just for the welfare of the company, but also to the public. Roles and purpose, when clearly defined will pave the way towards utmost professionalism and objectivity.
I treat all my co-professionals and co-workers impartially, keeping in mind than all of them have unique contributions and capabilities. I am also unique, and I have ways of my own. And just like others, I seek to be respected. Therefore, I would also do the same to my colleagues and co-workers. Any relationship, professional or otherwise work two ways.I perform professional services only in areas of my competence, so that my clients, colleagues and the public would not suffer from the consequences of doing otherwise. I am completely aware of my professional capabilities, and there’s no way that I will be giving comments or suggestions in fields I have little or no knowledge about. I would leave such cases to professionals who know better.
My reputation as a professional would be built only on merits of my services, this I recognize. Thus, I do my best in performing any task designated to me.
Professional development and trainings are essential for these will hone my skills and add to my knowledge as a professional. Seminars, symposiums and conventions are important in the growth of a professional. Throughout my career, I will be attending such trainings.
Organizational Aims and Social Responsibility
Any organization or company has different social responsibilities and societal goals. Any service or product are being produced and released in the market not only for profit, but also to reach an end, complying with standards holding health, safety and welfare of the public as the primary consideration.There are long term and short term aims. Among the long term aim are the improvement of quality of life and preserving peace and order. These are prerequisites of attaining one world. Maintaining an environment conducive to learning and progress is another long term goal any organization should aspire for.
For example, a company has a role in generating income for the government through taxes. We know where taxes go, and in general, these are for the general services for the public. Contributing towards a stable national economy would serve one of the most important social responsibilities a company can fulfil.
Assuring the public of quality services and goods is another social responsibility. This is a way of giving the public what’s due to the public. Another thing, the company’s credibility lies in the quality of the goods and services it is able to render.Generating jobs for people is also one important organizational aim. As far as I am concerned, it is the duty of the government to have companies that will cater the need for decent jobs. Populations with a big percentage of the non-working force may, at some points, be inefficient when it comes to generating income particularly for the nation’s economy. Being able to do so will also contribute to a healthy economy.
Organization’s Ethical Analysis
According to McGinn (1991), any ethical issue or conflict, whether or not they are connected to developments in science and technology, can be analyzed and clarified putting into consideration four factors pertinent to ethical decision and judgment making about actions, practices, and policies. Let us examine some portion of the book taking to account some real life situations.
First are the facts of matter. The facts of the situation underlying or surrounding the conflict in question should be considered. Any ethical principle should be ascertained as to whether or not any persuasive accounts of the facts of matter are developed by neutral parties. Thus, comments and feedback from other non-conflicting affiliations should be considered and carefully taken into account. Facts are essential in gathering the reasons, strategies and methods in order to make some plans of the organization possible.
Another methodology employed by any organization is the consideration of affected parties with a legitimate stake in the outcome of any principle being or about to be employed. All protectable interests of any stakeholder should be delineated and the relative weights and assigned free of bias.Identification of key concepts, criteria and principles in terms of which the ethical principle to be assessed is formulated is another consideration.The fourth type of assessment method employed is that ethical principles often involve two quite distinct kinds of decision making theories and arguments.
Professional Ethics I Affirm
Ethical principles are directly related with the personal conduct for these are essential in the upholding and advancing integrity, honour, and dignity of the profession.I affirm my company’s thrust in upholding and advancing the integrity, honour, and dignity of the profession by being honest and impartial and serving with loyalty and fidelity our employers, our clients, and the public. My organizational ethics require me to strive in increasing the competence and prestige of my profession and be able to use my knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare.
No organizational structure is perfect, though. Change in culture can be implemented for as long as the purpose, mission, vision, and objectives are clear. The points that can be changed may be further improved if the pertinent issues are to be discussed, analyzed and considered.According to Hartness and Eskelin (1993) in “The 24-Hour Turn-Around”, if one does not know where he/she is headed, he/she will never recognize the destination even when he/she gets there. In order to achieve desired organizational culture change, goals must be set and specific means should be drafted in order to get to the needed end.
Goals set should be specific and workable. One will never know how to get a task done if he/she does not have specific goals. Likewise, such goals should be measurable. Quantitative means of measure are often more reliable than qualitative ones. It is important to aim for things that have high purpose, but being able to mark progress in relation to the purpose is almost impossible.
Taking responsibility, if I may reiterate is essential. One should recognize that a personal goal is his own, not anyone else’s. When we commit ourselves to it, the chances of success improve enormously.
References
- Hartness, J. And Eskelin, N. (1993) The 24-Hour Turn-Around. Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, MI. (p. 29-35)
- McGinn, R. (1991). Science, Technology, and Society. Prentice Hall Incorporated, New Jersey.
- Timmerhaus, K., Peters, M. And West, R. (2004). Plant Design for Chemical Engineers Fifth Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., New York.
- Toler, S. (2002). What Makes a Leader: Keys to Achieving your Goals. Cook Communications Ministry, Colorado, USA.