T AKING ET HICS P E RSONALL Y
Kelley Monterusso
January 2016
ETHICS
1.
A system of moral principles: (the ethics of a culture)
2.
The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human
actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: (medical ethics, business ethics, Christian ethics)
3.
Moral principles, as of an individual: (His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.)
4.
The branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with
respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness
and badness of the motives and ends of each action.
Source: dictionary.com
OUR FOCUS TODAY
3. Moral principles, as of an individual: (His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.)
Moral – relating to or concerned with the principles or rules of right
conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical
Principles – guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of
right conduct
Source: dictionary.com
OPEN DISCUSSION
a.
Where do we encounter personal ethics?
b.
Why are personal ethics important?
c.
How can personal ethics affect our professional and personal lives?
d.
How can personal ethics affect decision making?
e.
How can personal ethics be helpful in tough situations?
PERSONAL ETHICS STATEMENT
A statement developed by an individual reflecting the most important
personal values and morals used to build their roadmap for living.
What is the statement meant to do?
 Represent what we strive to be
 Influence our actions and interactions
 Demonstrate how we put our guiding ideals into practice
 Serve as a support system for decision making
 Be our “Go To” during difficult situations
PERSONAL ETHICS
Important to remember:
 Can be very different from person to person
 May change/flex over time (stages of life, significant experiences, etc.)
 Based upon many things (personal goals, upbringing, religion, culture, education, etc.)
EXAMPLE
I will abide by the laws, rules, and regulations of my community, school, work, and country.
I will conduct myself with integrity, fidelity, and honesty. I will openly take responsibility for my
actions, and only make agreements, which I intend to keep.
I will not intentionally engage in or participate in any form of malicious harm to another person or
animal.
I will remain curious, objective, and open minded about other people’s ideas, choices, and religious
beliefs.
I will practice thoughtful self-control when responding to others.
I will continue to learn, observe, read, connect, listen, and search for knowledge. I will proactively
participate and openly communicate such gained knowledge with others.
In my personal relationships, I will adhere to all of the above, including disengaging and/or
limiting interaction with those who purposefully contravene my code of ethics.
In my work relationships, I will adhere to all of the above, while maintaining professionalism in the
face of adversity.
Source: Winde Chavez, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140611015424-41035293-mypersonal-leadership-and-ethics-statement
EXAMPLE
As an aspiring journalist, writing about personal ethics is provoking endless thoughts in my mind―what is right, according to me, and what
is wrong? Are my beliefs in accordance to what society thinks and feels? Will my personal ethics help me go a long way in my career? As I
go on thinking and penning down my thoughts, I am relieved, and proud to say that my list of ethics answers every question in my mind
affirmatively.
Excellence
I will always strive to be excellent at everything I do. I will not settle for anything lesser than the best, and will do everything I can to
achieve the best results in all my professional endeavors. I will not procrastinate when it comes to my work and will deliver the expected
results on or before time.
Integrity
As a journalist and person, I will always be sincere and honest in everything I do. I will not bend any facts or rules just for personal benefit,
and will always be dependable, trustworthy and reliable for the organization. I promise to build my reputation only on the basis of merit,
and nothing else.
Courage
With integrity comes courage. I will never hesitate to stand up for what is right, and will do so even if I am in a difficult situation that
demands me to ignore what is wrong. I will always support the truth and never let anyone influence me to do otherwise. I will not give in to
peer pressure and will never let the fear of failing affect my actions.
Humility
I will always strive to remain humble and grounded. I will not let any accolades or praise affect my attitude, and will always be polite to
my peers, superiors and juniors. I will make sure to never hurt or mock anyone intentionally.
I would like to conclude by saying that it is the responsibility of every journalist to abide by ethics that will benefit not only themselves, but
also their working environment, and society as a whole, and my list of personal ethics will definitely help me fulfill this responsibility.
Source: Buzzle, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-to-write-a-personal-ethics-statement-with-examples.html
EXAMPLE
As a result of my background, I place a special emphasis on maintenance of
personal integrity, pursuit of excellence, acceptance of responsibility, love of family
and achievement of ambitious goals. I have high expectations for myself with regards
to my actions; on at least a weekly basis, I take time to reflect on who I am and how
that compares to my best possible self. My actions make me who I am, so it is important
that I honor the following commitments in all of my actions, both personal and
professional (Georgetown University, n.d.):
 A commitment to doing in my heart what I know is just and right.
 A commitment to performance that produces exceptional results and quality as a
way of life.
 A commitment to valuing the trust and confidence of my family, friends, co-workers,
employers and/or clients and community.
 A commitment to spending time with my family, supporting them in all of their
endeavors and making them proud.
 A commitment to my personal image of what can be and my belief that it will be;
a commitment to setting goals and systematically working towards achieving them.
Source: https://consciousincompetence.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/my-personalcode-of-ethics/
BUILDING YOUR STATEMENT
 Decide on the values and morals that are most important to you (handouts)
 Decide on a format (next slide)
 Work on your statement over time…tweak along the way
 Consider sharing it with others for feedback
 Keep it somewhere visible/handy
GOOD PLACE TO START
 “I will…”
 “I commit to…”
 “You can expect…”
 “My actions…”
WORKING SESSION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TvWZEVf6go
RATIONALIZATION FILTER
Does your personal ethics statement leave room for any of the following?
 “Everybody does it.”
 “Nobody will notice.”
 “I don’t get paid enough to deal with that.”
 “It will take too much time to do it right.”
 “Just this one time.”
 “It’s not like I’m hurting anyone.”
 “I’m not a whistleblower.”
 “I’m too close to retirement.”
 “I’m minding my own business.”
PUTTING YOUR STATEMENT TO WORK
 Review the goal
 Consider your options
 Determine the consequences of each option
 Make the right decision
 Are you being objective?
(not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based upon facts)
 Are you setting an example for others?
 Are you avoiding going with the “wrong” flow?
 Do you hope others would make the same decision?
SCENARIOS
You are experiencing personal problems at home. Despite your best efforts,
the quality of your work is suffering and coworkers are starting to notice.
Using your personal ethics statement as a guide, how do you handle this
situation with your supervisor, coworkers and customers?
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SCENARIOS
You and two coworkers are assigned an important project due to your
supervisor at the end of the month. As a team, the three of you decide on the
distribution of work and agree to meet every Wednesday and Friday
morning for the next three weeks to report on progress.
A few days later, one of your team members indicates they are too busy to
attend the meetings due to workload but will get the work done by the
deadline.
Using your personal ethics statement as a guide, how do you handle this
situation?
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SCENARIOS
A coworker shares details with you about a confidential decision recently
made by management. Your coworker won’t divulge their source but tells you
why the decision was made, who was involved in the decision, and what the
decision means for your team. If true, it will impact every member of your
team in a significant way.
Using your personal ethics statement as a guide, how do you handle this
situation?
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WHY BOTHER WITH PERSONAL ETHICS?
Strong personal ethics typically translate into worthwhile benefits:
 Trusted relationships at home and work
 Valued contributions at home and work
 Positive attention from employers, family and friends
 Peace of mind, better overall health, emotional stability & lasting relationships
Can you think of more benefits?
TAKING ETHICS PERSONALLY
Thank you for attending this workshop!
Kelley Monterusso
Director of Communications & External Relations
Kirkhof College of Nursing – Grand Valley State University
616.331.5882
monteruk@gvsu.edu