Personal Values vs. Business Protocols
Personal values and a sense of business ethics can help you succeed in any work environment. These two go hand in hand and aid in one’s success and career growth. Personal ethics, as defined by Dr. Joe Pace, is your individual understanding of what is right and wrong (Pace, 26). Business leaders are expected to not only have personal ethics, but professional ethics as well. What is an employee to do when the two are not reciprocated?
Within a business, the organizational values are typically integrated into the protocols. Codes of Conduct are created to ensure the understanding of what is expected of employees and what can be expected of the organization (Pace, 28). Misconduct is the deliberate act of unethical behavior. Regardless if this is on part of the company or colleague, steps must be taken to correct the situation.
At a time when communication is key, expressing oneself in the workplace defines who you are as a team member, department leader, and as an individual. Speaking up is fundamental and having a reasonable explanation behind your stance will help when bringing it to the attention of your superiors. Glenn Llopis, a contributor to Forbes.com, believes that silence can ultimately hurt your career in the long run. Speaking up in the right place at the right time accelerates your career. Knowing the difference between right and wrong, and utilizing it to create a better work environment, will win the respect of your colleagues (Llopis, 2012).
Author Mary Gentile, and current director of “Giving Voice to Values”, helps workers speak up within ethical boundaries. Her advice includes: voicing your concerns with you detect them, not being deterred by a lack of systematic reporting tools, finding a comfortable place to disclose your concerns, keeping personalities out of the conversation, quantifying the costs of improper behavior, not rationalizing to avoid action, making ethical decision-making a conditioning exercise, helping one’s organization
Within a business, the organizational values are typically integrated into the protocols. Codes of Conduct are created to ensure the understanding of what is expected of employees and what can be expected of the organization (Pace, 28). Misconduct is the deliberate act of unethical behavior. Regardless if this is on part of the company or colleague, steps must be taken to correct the situation.
At a time when communication is key, expressing oneself in the workplace defines who you are as a team member, department leader, and as an individual. Speaking up is fundamental and having a reasonable explanation behind your stance will help when bringing it to the attention of your superiors. Glenn Llopis, a contributor to Forbes.com, believes that silence can ultimately hurt your career in the long run. Speaking up in the right place at the right time accelerates your career. Knowing the difference between right and wrong, and utilizing it to create a better work environment, will win the respect of your colleagues (Llopis, 2012).
Author Mary Gentile, and current director of “Giving Voice to Values”, helps workers speak up within ethical boundaries. Her advice includes: voicing your concerns with you detect them, not being deterred by a lack of systematic reporting tools, finding a comfortable place to disclose your concerns, keeping personalities out of the conversation, quantifying the costs of improper behavior, not rationalizing to avoid action, making ethical decision-making a conditioning exercise, helping one’s organization
References: Llopis, G. (2012, March). 6 Reasons Employees Must Speak Up to Thrive at Work. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2012/03/19/6-reasons- employees-must-speak-up-to-thrive-at-work/2/ McCafferty, D. (2010, October). The Unethical Workplace. Baseline: Driving Business Success with Technology. Retrieved from http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/Intelligence/The-Unethical-Workplace-395969/ Pace, J. (2006). The Workplace: Interpersonal Strengths and Leadership. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.