Have you ever thought about what you value in life? Is
it family, friends, careers or education? Webster dictionary defines values as
being useful and important (Value,
n.d.). Values are what guide you through many decision and help you identify
morally and ethical situation that you might face. As human beings, we conduct ourselves
the way we see and value things, thus, prioritizing our decision. Organizations
see the benefits of adding value to their culture. These organizational
values guide the organization’s thinking and actions (Meier, n.d.). According to Meier
(n.d.) the most critical step in the
development of an organization is defining the organization’s unique values (para.
2). Leadership plays a key role not just identifying the values of the organization,
but also in the aligning of those values with the culture of the organization. Denning
(2011) states, “Leaders establish values through
action” (p.138).Additionally, organizational values are the abstract ideas which guides an
organizational thinking and actions (Meier, n.d.). Ethical value is a driving
force of how an organization operates; it is the moral compass that guides the
organization into a trusted and respectable institution. According to Velasquez et
al. (2010) ethics is not someone’s feeling, since “feelings frequently deviate
from what is ethical” (para. 3). Instead, the company’s ethics are rules and
bylaws which every employee must abide by. The three basic components of an
ethical community as described by Denning (2011) are trust, loyalty, and
solidarity. Trust, know that each
employee will act ethically; being loyal is to abide by the rules no matter the
situation; and solidarity, is taking care of each other even when faced with
conflict. These three basic concepts are vital to a strong
community and to the creation of a positive organizational culture.
The Navy uses these three concepts in its core
values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. HONOR. Sailors conduct themselves in the
highest ethical manner in their relationships with peers, superiors and
subordinates. COURAGE. Sailors will follow the rules even when no one is
watching. COMMITMENT. Sailors are committed to each other, and they demonstrated
respect up and down their chain of command.
These core values helped established a culture where everyone understands
the value which the Navy stands for. These values go beyond the work force and
can be implementing in a personal setting. By honoring your family, having the
courage to protect your family and being committed to you family are a few ways
these core value have shape me into not only into a good leader, but a great
family man. As leader I continue to find new ways to implement these values in
my organization, additionally, learning from others can be important as well.
It is important to understand that personal morals
will sometimes differ from what the company believes to be ethical. For
example, some individuals, due to religious belief might be against gay
marriage, but many organizations accept it. This is a case where corporate
values might be different than your own. As leaders we must find way to connect
the employees with the values of the company’s. A great way to do this is by
social gathering. Making a positive atmosphere is great way to not only train
on what the organizations sees important, but also make the employees feel they
are part of something great. By developing this relationship of trust, loyalty
and solidarity, leaders will be able to cultivate a culture where the
organization ethics are followed.
Behavior. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behavior
Denning, Stephen. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to
Storytelling. Wiley & Sons, Inc. San Francisco, CA.
Ethic. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethic
Value. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23,
2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/value
Meier, J. D. (n.d.). Organizational
Values: Actions are Louder Than Words. Retrieved April 23, 2016, from
http://sourcesofinsight.com/organizational-values/
Valasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T., Meyer, S.J., Meyer,
M. What is Ethics? Retrieved from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/
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