Taking your ethics to a higher level
It is far more common for a company to intentionally select, articulate and hold a set of ethical principles than it is for an individual. Typically, the owner will engage in a period of deep thought, either individually or with a small group of trusted advisors, and create a ‘values statement’ which captures the ethical principles the business holds most dear.
In 1994, as my consulting/speaking practice was beginning to gather headway, I thought it best to do just that. Here’s what resulted:
Values
Profit: We will earn a better than average profit as this allows us the flexibility to do other things.
Integrity: We will be honest in everything we do, never overpromise, and zealously work to fulfill our commitments.
Value: We will strive to provide our clients more value than they expect.
Personable: We will be pleasant and easy to work with.
Knowledgeable: Understanding that we are in the business of “selling knowledge,” we will be on the cutting edge of new knowledge.
Open-minded: We will constantly be open to new or different ideas, methods, and concepts from all sources, especially our clients.
Learning: We will value individual and organizational learning (the ability to continually take in new information, acquire new insights, and change in positive ways as a result of that information) as our primary competitive advantage.
Humility: We will constantly be aware that the resources we use and the clients we serve are gifts from God, entrusted to our temporary stewardship.
Quality: In everything we do, we will strive to do it as well as the very best companies in the world like ours do it.
Three Simple Steps
1. Make the description of a set of ethics an intentional process, for which you invest significant deep thinking. If you have a set of advisors, you may want to bring them into the process. Regardless, it requires dedicated time in which you immerse yourself into the project. Engage with these questions:
What are the primary moral principles by which I will lead my life?
What are the primary moral principles by which I want my employees to be guided?
You’ll probably create a long list. Then, reduce it to the most important, and focus on them.
2. Write them down.
The process of putting them down on paper requires precision. That means that you must carefully consider the principles, prioritize them to identify the most important, and precisely describe them so that other people can understand them.
3. Publish them and require your employee’s adherence to them.
That doesn’t mean that you buy an ad in the local newspaper. But it does mean that you post them in conspicuous places, provide a copy to every new hire, post them on your website, etc.
Committing to “an unmoving set of ethics” is our final keel. While I’m sure we could continue the process of identifying and articulating those habits, attitudes, and behaviors that propel us forward and hold us back, the set we’ve described in this series is sufficient to make a difference in your life and your business. We have examined these sails:
- An acceptance of personal responsibility.
- An attitude of openness
- A propensity to take risks.
- A focus on strengths.
- The discipline of continuous, self-directed learning.
- The habit of continuously prioritizing & focusing
We’ve also looked at these keels:
- An articulated vision or purpose
- The discipline of regular reflecting and planning.
- The discipline of rational thinking.
- An examined spirituality.
- An unmoving set of ethics.
These sails and keels will help guide you and your organization through these turbulent times, enabling you to survive and thrive by navigating your way through complexity in a rapidly changing, information-saturated world.
1 What is Ethics? Velasquez, Andre, Shanks, and Meyer, https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/
*PWA-20
Enjoyed the well articulated Article. Appreciate Ethics as a core value to fit in a family, organisation or Business system .
2. Would like share a story as told by my friend . He stated that their daughter was undergoing some specialist course way from parents and hence need to stay at hostel. Invariably she called up at 9 PM to give overview to mother. One day she asked her mother what is right and what is wrong? the Mother answered that what you have done if you can tell me it is right . and what you would not like to tell me is the wrong .
3. I admire that simple test