Ethics and Values
First, let’s look back at our core values
Go to slides on core values.
“Live in such a way
that your life
demands an
explanation.”
“The principle, the end
justifies the means, which in
individualist ethics is regarded
as the denial of all morals, in
collectivist ethics becomes
necessarily the supreme rule.”
- Friedrich A. Hayek (The Road to Serfdom)
- A serf is a person in a condition of servitude required
to render services to a lord (master).
Review survey results with cadets.
Let’s get something clear ….
What we allow ourselves to watch, listen
to, and read, impacts the way we think.
The way we think influences what we
believe and what we value. What we
believe influences the way we behave –
our actions.
Think + Belief = Actions
Ethics: A system of moral principles;
the branch of philosophy dealing
with human values and moral
conduct. The science (The study of)
of moral duty.
Ethical: Conforming to moral
standards. Conforming to standards
of a profession.
“The shortest and surest way to
live with honor in the world is to
be in reality what we appear to be.
All human virtues increase and
strengthen by the practice and
experience of them.”
- Socrates
Character can be measured by what
you do or how you act when no one is
looking. “How can you know what is
in your heart? Look at your behavior.”
- Psychologist, William James
“There is a precise standard of right and wrong.
What is right is right whether the day is clear or
cloudy. What is wrong is wrong, whether the matter
is exciting or repulsive. The one who lives in his or
her emotions will not be governed by principles but
by the whim of vacillating feelings.”
- Watchman Nee
Tell the cadets the story of the student who shoplifted at a Wal
Mart just because they happened to be angry – their justification
for shoplifting.
Are there any ethical people left?
YES!
They are out there. Your goal is to
be one!
“Ethics is essential to effective
leadership.”
Dr. Len Marrella
Expressions that are prevalent today:
“Don’t give me that goody goody garbage - everybody
cheats.” (Who is everybody?)
“What’s the big deal, I see my parents doing it.”
“Whatever, anything goes.”
“So what if I take a few items? I’m not stealing from a
friend. I’m stealing from a big company and they can
afford it.”
Some statistics:
- A Reader’s Digest study found a high
percentage of high school students think
cheating is okay. Why? They indicated
the chances of getting caught are slim.
-The Josephson Institute of Ethics’ Youth
survey results for 2008, indicate the
following:
-35% of those surveyed have stolen
property in the past 12 months
-40% of the students surveyed agreed
with this statement: A person has to lie
or cheat sometimes in order to succeed.
- “It is not unethical to do whatever you
have to in order to succeed - as long as
others are not seriously hurt.”
So it is okay to hurt someone as long as
it isn’t too bad?
There’s this disconnect between
knowing what is right and actually
doing what is right.
Is it just kids who have this problem?
NO!!!
Adults who have been surveyed have seen the
following:
- Lying to supervisors or falsifying information
- Observation of theft or misuse of organizational
property
- When asked if they had reported what they had
observed, the answer was NO.
-- 60% justified not doing anything by saying,
“Nobody cares about business ethics.”
-- Over half of them did not trust the company to
protect their identity.
These are the same people who
value loyalty and courage.
See the disconnect?
What do people value?
“Survey Says!!”
Institute of Global Ethics conducted the same survey you
took. They found the following from their 272 participants:
Value Chosen Most Important
Truth 169 33
Compassion 153 44
Responsibility 147 33
Freedom 113 19
Reverence for Life 108 25
So, where do we go from here?
You must be willing to do the harder
right instead of the easier wrong.
You must connect what you know with
what you do.
(Talk about the Ethical Dilemma.)
Next, an ethics check.
(28)
When making an Ethical decision, ask
yourself the following:
1. Is it legal?
-- Not just talking about civil or criminal
laws.
-- Includes company policy.
--- Not doing something that is or gives the
appearance of being illegal, improper, or
immoral.
(29)
2. Is it balanced?
-- What is meant, is the decision fair or
will it heavily favor a group of people
over another in the short or long term.
-- Will there be a BIG winner or BIG
loser?
-- If not balanced, it will probably come
back to haunt you.
3. How will it make me feel about
myself?
-- Unethical acts will erode your self-esteem.
(No amount of money or power is worth
that.)
--- Would you want your decision published
in a major newspaper or shown on the
nightly news?
“There is no pillow as soft as a clear
conscience.”
“Okay, but how do I behave ethically when I’m
pressured to do unethical things?”
You need “Ethical Power”. This power comes
from the core principles of ethical behavior.
We’ll look at five principles. They are:
1. Purpose 5. Perspective
2. Pride
3. Patience
4. Persistence
(30)
1. Purpose: This is your objective, intention -
something you are always striving toward.
- A purpose is ongoing unlike goals that have
deadlines.
- Purpose is a particular road you choose to
travel.
- Purpose is the picture you have of yourself -
the kind of person you want to be.
- Purpose is your attitude toward ethics and
morality.
Have a purpose and stick to it!
(Here are some examples)
- Purpose to be honest
- Purpose to be fair
- Purpose to do the right thing even if
it’s not popular
2. Pride: The sense of satisfaction you get from your
accomplishments as well as those of others.
- A healthy dose of self-esteem gives strength to do
the right thing.
- It is healthy and justified to feel good about
yourself.
- - Some have too much or too little.
--- Too much = false pride (33)
--- Too little = self-doubt
---- Both impact ethical behavior
False Pride:
- Distorted image of own importance.
-- Big “I” little “you”.
-- Don’t need the help of other people.
- False pride can blur your purpose.
- Constant need to always win.
-- Leads to rationalization, exaggeration, cover
ups, arguing, and lying.
-- Can’t let anything make them look bad.
Self-Doubt:
- People with self-doubt don’t like
themselves very much.
- They don’t trust their own judgement.
- Driven by a desire to be liked and
accepted by others.
- More difficult to be morally strong.
- Have trouble standing up against
pressures from others.
- People with self-doubt listen to
others too much.
This leads people with self-doubt
to second guessing themselves or
letting others mislead them into
doing things that are wrong -
unethical - in an effort to be liked
and accepted.
Both false pride and self-doubt are bad
and both come from a low self-esteem.
Both are trying to make up for their
own “I-don’t-count” feelings.
YOU MUST HAVE BALANCE
You don’t want to feel worth-less than
others nor worth-more than others.
“You have permission to like yourself!”
Stay away from those who would say
negative things (untrue things) about
you - putting you down.
Surround yourself with
those who would build
you up.
Having pride, healthy self-esteem,
will lead to you sticking with your
purpose and making ethical decisions.
3. Patience:
- Having faith.
-- A complete trust, confidence, or reliance.
--- Both spiritual and in a general sense.
--- Thinking positive is another aspect of
patience.
----An energized belief that no matter what
happens, things are going to work out.
We have faith when we believe in something
and we base our actions, indeed our whole life,
on that belief.
- A lack of faith, patience, will cause us to
grasp for the here and now and thus sabotage
our future.
- We make what seems a sound, ethical, decision but
we want an immediate reassurance, results, that we
did the right thing. (This is not realistic – it takes
time – let the process work.)
Faith, yes patience, teaches us there is a
more universal timing.
- Things don’t always happen right when
we want them to.
- We need to know there is something
greater than ourselves - a higher power.
Don’t let others pressure you to make a quick
decision that could end up being okay in the
short-term but very bad in the long-term.
4. Persistence:
- Patience is important but without
persistence combined with it, you’ll
probably get off track.
- Got to have that “Stick-to-itiveness.”
-According to Winston Churchill,
“Never, Never, Never, Never, give
up!” – persist.
You MUST be persistent - consistent -
knowing right from wrong and acting on that.
- Being an ethical person means behaving
ethically all the time - not just when it’s
convenient – whether it is sunny or cloudy.
- Don’t just “try” - do it!
- You must be committed!!!!!!!!
5. Perspective (The ability to see all the relevant data
in a meaningful relationship.)
- This is the capacity to see what is really
important in any given situation.
- It’s from perspective that you oversee the
other four principles.
How do you gain perspective?
- Waking up your inner self.
-- The inner self focuses on being
reflective and thoughtful. (Serious
thought.)
--- Its attention is on meaning and
values, the finding of significance in
life.
Simply put, giving your inner being a
chance to catch it’s breath.
How?
- By the quieting, calming, of the mind -
in solitude.
- Prayer.
- Meditation.
- Taking a walk, not running, and
reflecting on what has happened and
what will be happening.
- Having quiet - solitude – is best for
this to work.
The Core Principles of Ethical Power:
1. Purpose: See yourself as being an ethical
person. You let your conscience be your
guide.
2. Pride: Feel good about yourself. You
don’t need the acceptance of others to feel
important. Have a balanced self-esteem.
3. Patience: Believe things will
eventually work out well. You don’t
need everything to happen right now.
Have faith!
4. Persistence: You stick to your
purpose. My behavior is consistent with
my intentions. As Churchill said,
“Never, Never, Never, Never, Give
Up!”
5. Perspective: I will take time to reflect
and be thoughtful. I will quiet my mind
so I can hear my inner self and see
things more clearly. I will strengthen
my inner self through prayer,
meditation, and reflection. I will seek to
see the interrelationships to the actions I
take.
The Ethics Check:
1. Is it Legal: Will I be violating
either civil law or company policy?
2. Is it balanced: Is it fair to all concerned
in the short as well as the long term? Does
it promote a win-win relationship?
3. How will it make me feel about
myself? Will it make me proud? Would
I feel good if my decision was published
in the newspaper? Would I feel good
about it if my family knew about it?
In closing:
There is
No RIGHT way
To do a WRONG thing.
Choose this day, PURPOSE, to do what is right
and ethical!!!!!
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