How do I develop a personal code of ethics? 
      How do I develop a personal code of ethics? Developing my own personal code of ethics is one of the most important things I will do for myself as MBA Graduate Student and future business leader.  A personal code of ethics basically puts into writing those ideas and philosophies that are the essence of one’s life and allows a person to say I will do this because I believe this.  A code of ethics is a document, which one should be able to look to each day not only as a reminder of what he believes in but also as an encouragement to carry on with his daily endeavors.   The main question most people have is “how do I begin to develop a personal code of ethics?” The answer really is quite simple, but it will take a little work and thought on the part of the individual.  However, for me, I have carefully considered many of the elements that have been introduced to me to access my own thoughts on my personal code of ethics.      The elements that will make up my own personal code of ethics will include:

1.      Maintain the highest level of professional standards as an employee of my company and conduct myself with honesty and integrity at all times towards all people.

2.      Show respect for my work and contribution to my company and offer my best efforts every day by presenting pertinent, accurate, and objective information and keep confidences about my company’s business; I will avoid gossip and harsh criticism of others and consistently offer an attitude of understanding toward all people.

3.      Listen carefully and allow people to give me information without interrupting them or arguing with them and honor my company and its resources and not squander, steal, or damage its assets; and be punctual and honor the value of time.

4.      Accept responsibility for the duties that have been assigned to me each day and collaborate with others in a spirit of teamwork to accomplish defined goals.

 (Davis, 2003, p. 221-222).”

1) Maintain the highest level of professional standards as an employee of my company and conduct myself with honesty and integrity at all times towards all people.

            Entering the workface as a professional will be frightened enough. One of the important aspects for me to remember is that as a professional I am a direct representative of the company and to my employees.  Ensuring that I tackle each challenge that I am faced with the highest level of honesty and integrity is a must.  In fact, integrity is the cornerstone of creditability.  Without it, there can be no code of ethics.  A personal code of ethics is what drives daily decisions and actions.  In the workplace, I believe in addressing every situation with honesty and integrity especially dealing with the people that surround me. 

This is the only appropriate way to handle situations in the business workforce.  In fact, in an article recently that discussed the importance of developing a personal code of ethics, the article stated that to act with everyone in an honest, fair and trustworthy manner and to maintain and achieve personal integrity and truthfulness in all aspects of my life is the most practical manner in achieving a successful personal code of ethics (MGMA Connexion, Sep 2005).  In my business dealing, I will come across all types of people from all walks of life.  How I would want to be treated will be a direct reflects on how I treat others.  No one wants to be lied to or mislead. 

The truth of the matter is that as a business leader I will be in a position where my actions are look upon every second. If I come across as someone that can not be trusted by his peers or his associates, then I will have a hard time trying to lead a group of people to a common goal of a company.  In truth, how I behave in my personal life has a direct impact on how I behave in the business world.  Honesty and integrity are attributes that apply in both settings as well as being a leader which crosses over to one’s own personal dwellings.    One of the modern principles of morality, Kant’s theory of the categorical imperative helps to support this argument that a personal code of ethics should include conducting with others through honesty and integrity at all times in both a professional and personal manner.  

Kant defined an imperative as any proposition that declares a certain action (or inaction) to be necessary. A hypothetical imperative would compel action in a given circumstance: If I wish to satisfy my thirst, then I must drink this lemonade.  A categorical imperative would denote “an absolute, unconditional requirement that exerts its authority in all circumstances, both required and justified as an end in itself. It is best known in its first formulation: "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law” (Wikipedia.org, 2007).  Another important point is that I will maintain a level of loyalty to my company and will not divulge any pertinent trade secrets, new development or top secrets data that would give my competitors the edge over my company that I am employed. 

2) Show respect for my work and contribution to my company and offer my best efforts every day by presenting pertinent, accurate, and objective information.

One of the cornerstones to developing a personal code of ethics is to be able to show pride in the work that I produced and engaged in the most accurate information possible.  In fact, as a business professional, I will from time to time be engaged in top priority projects that will need my full efforts and accurate reporting of data to my peers and superiors.  Making sure that I give 110% is the upmost on my list.  In addition to this, I shall provide accurate information about the nature and management of communicative disorders and about the services and products offered.  I shall provide persons served with the information a reasonable person would want to know about the nature and possible effects of services rendered, or products provided or research being conducted.
Information or data that I have gathered shall not guarantee results, mislead, or misinform persons served or studied.  I shall conduct and report product-related research only according to accepted standards within my organization.

Furthermore, I shall not carry out teaching or research activities in a manner that constitutes an invasion of privacy, or that fails to inform persons fully about the nature and possible effects of these activities, affording all persons informed free choice of participation.  Finally, I shall maintain documentation of professional services rendered and all other pertinent information following.  To support this moral principle, I draw upon the beliefs of Utilitarianism, “the ethical doctrine that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility. It is thus a form of consequentialism. Utility — the good to be maximized — has been defined by various thinkers as happiness or pleasure (versus suffering or pain). While there is a tendency to consider only the well being of humans when interpreting this doctrine, some utilitarians count the interests of any and all sentient beings when assessing overall utility” (Wikipedia.org, 2007). 

Most utilitarian theories deal with producing the greatest amount of good for the greatest number. Basically, the belief requires us to promote the least amount of evil or harm, or to prevent the greatest amount of harm for the greatest number.  This is true in the case that I am presented in this scenario.  As a new executive, I am running some reports for the first time that will show how my department is doing for the previous quarter.  As the final data of the numbers are coming in, I am looking at the numbers closely anticipating the results.  After careful reviewing the final data, I noticed that last quarter my department did not perform to the projected numbers.  Another executive from another department spoke to me about these figures and informed me that when his figures came up show that he “re-arrange” some figures to show a more favorable data.   Developing this personal code of ethics, I understand the need to never be tempted to want to in any way misrepresenting the data that I am putting my signature behind.  Promoting the least amount of evil or harm in this case would be a clear sign of the beliefs of Utilitarianism.

3) Listen carefully and allow people to give me information without interrupting them or arguing with them and honor my company and its resources and not squander, steal, or damage its assets; and be punctual and honor the value of time.

            One of the most important aspects that I will bring to the corporate world is my ability to be able to listen to my peers, my superiors, and my employees.  Another ability will come in the form that I will trustworthy not to steal, cheat pr defraud my company that I am working for in any manner.  These attributes to my personal code of ethics are very important to my development as a business leader.  No company wants to feel like its employees especially in upper management are untrustworthy.  As a future business leader, I will make sure that I am a role model to my peers and others around of me.  One belief that helps support this personal code of ethics begins with the philosophy of libertarians who view “life, liberty, and property as the ultimate rights possessed by individuals, and that compromising one necessarily endangers the rest” (Wikipedia.org, 2007).  This is important to understand for the theft of something that does not belong to me would be look down on by the libertarians.  In this scenario, I will illustrate how my actions can hinder the growth of the whole department I am in currently by the action of one.  I decided to one day out of anger to embezzle from my department.  I managed to steal millions of dollars from the company.  In the end, who does this hurt?  It hurts everyone involved. Due to my actions, the company stock plummeted, sales are down, and other executives are losing their jobs.  In the end, libertarians define liberty as being “completely free in action, whilst not initiating force or fraud against the life, liberty or property of another human being” (Wikipedia.org, 2007). 

4) Accept responsibility for the duties that have been assigned to me each day and collaborate with others in a spirit of teamwork to accomplish defined goals.

 (Davis, 2003, p. 221-222).”

            Accepting responsibility for the duties that I will be assigned in my day to day operation is my final personal code of ethics that I wish to adopt.  This would include being able to collaborate with others on my team in a spirited manner to accomplish defined goals set by my department head and superiors.  This principle actually serves as a totality of all the other three principles that I discussed that would make up my definition of my own personal code of ethics. With each principle, I am gravitating towards being the ideal business leader that I am aspiring to become.   In fact, Kant makes a compelling stance on a universal standard that allows me to develop this area of my personal code of ethics. 

The bottom line is that how I conduct myself one day will never change from the next day. I want to always handle any situation that I am faced with total acceptance of responsibility of any problems that may arise.  One of the most important abilities as a business leader will be to allow others to see that I am not afraid to step up to the plate to take full responsibility for any and all outcomes both good and bad when applicable.  In a fictional scenario, I will illustrate how taking responsibility will make me a better leader.  My team and I are celebrating that our department’s figures from last year are ahead of this quarter by 12%. We are very pleased and are thankful for all of our success.

 However, in the midst of all this, one of the junior executives who I personally vouched for completely bailed on the department during crucial sales point which in turn could have resulted in even higher sales.  The rest of the team and I were forced to play make up in work that was clearly not done by this junior executive.  How am I to compensate for this misjudging on my part?  The answer is simple; take full responsibility for my decision. This is a personal code of ethics that I feel many business leaders lack.  In today’s business world, we see business leaders all pointing the fingers at each and no one really wanting to take the next plunge and say, “I did it”.  As I enhance on this area of my personal code of ethics, I will make a personal statement that I will never stray away from responsibility even if it means that at times the outcome may be unfavorable.  In other words, doing the right thing versus the wrong thing is something that is universally applicable…. (Shaw 2005).

            The bottom line is that adopting a personal code of ethics is a crucial step in one’s development in the professional arena.  But, a personal code of ethics serves as a great guide for one’s own personal behavior as well.  As I move from one stage of life to the next, my beliefs, values, or ethics will continue to grow and change, but the personal code of ethics that I continue to adopt will serve as a resource and tool to guide me through those difficult times when I am in need of direction and guidance.  I want my actions to become my own “universal law” (Shaw, 2005).

                                                                   Reference:

Davis, P.  (2003).  E2 using the power of ethics and etiquette in american business.  Canada: Entrepreneur Press.

MGMA Connexion, (2005, September). What is your personal code of ethics?. Retrieved February 13, 2007, from Look Smart Web site: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4083/is_200509/ai_n15639722

Shaw, W.H. (2005). Business ethics. 9 ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2006, November 20). Retrieved November 20, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page