Introduction
Personal ethics regards the behaviors of an individual which can be classified between good and bad or right and wrong. The ethics of a leader in an organization defines the behavior of those who work under the leader. Ethics are developed in an individual and are affected by the people that live around the individual, events that take place around him or her, the institution that the individuals lives, and others. Good leaders have a straight ethical system that helps them act as examples to their subordinates. Ethics are very important in an organization because they help an organization achieve its goals. Integration of ethics in an organization brings the best environment where there is trust amongst the employees and the employees are genuine and transparent. Ethics help individuals do what is right regardless of whether they arte being observed or not. Individuals work without supervision and they take it as their responsibility to do what is right for them and for the organization. This paper will seek to analyze the development of my personal ethics that helped me become an ethical leader in my organization.
Development of My Ethics
When I was taking my leadership course, my teacher told me that justice is one of the characteristics that can help me most as a leader. Since then I decided to fair to all people in my actions. Even before I was promoted to be a leader, I always ensured that I did what was right and fair. A fair action does not always please everyone but justice demands that it is better to do what is fair and right and annoy some people than do what is wrong to please some people at the expense of others (Brian, 2007, prg.7). My principles helped me harmonize other individuals I worked with since I could never side with any person just because he or she was a friend. I always did what I felt was right and gave an individuals what he or she deserved. My practices helped make the person in me and up to date, I know that it is my responsibility to be fair to all regardless of their background.
Even before I was appointed to a leader, I always worked to obtain the best results that I could within the shortest time possible. I was employed but I took the work as if it was mine. To achieve this, I knew that I had to be wise on the way I was dealing with individuals, situations, and other things in the work place (Ronald, 2005, p.280). I took quite sometime to understand the people I was working with including the management that was there. I could then choose how to deal with the individuals and events wisely and act accordingly. I didn’t wait for the management to come and tell me that it was time to start my work but I always did what I felt could benefit the organization at any given time. Whenever I have a perception about something, I do use my knowledge to apply the perception effectively and produce the best results. Using my judgment of what is right at any given time has helped make the most outstanding decisions. I am quite emotional and I knew it long ago. For me to apply my knowledge, principles, and reasoning in an effective manner, I always ensure that I control my emotions and don’t overreact to situations and actions of other individuals.
I have worked in an environment that is full of opposition, shame, discouragement, and scandals. One of my principles was always to act rightly guided by courage. The task was not that easy in the beginning but I endured. Some individuals could discourage me by telling me that I won’t be rewarded for my hard work but I did not mind their words. When I was appointed as a leader in the organization, some individuals started opposing me because I had met some of them still in the organization and worked at the same level. I showed them my determination in meeting the organization’s goals and finally managed to control them. I did what was right and did it courageously.
As a leader, I have always recognized that being moderate in all your undertakings is very important. I have always tried to be reasonable in all my actions and I assign the right amount of work to an individual. I try to give every employee what is enough and what they complete comfortably. Being moderate has helped improve my relationship with my employees.
Ethical System
The ethical system that I apply in the organization is the one where every individual is obliged to do what is right for his or her benefit and the benefit of the organization. Every individual is supposed to deal fairy with all individuals in the organization regardless of his or her rank. Be guided by courage to do the right thing regardless of the opposition and discouragement from others as long as one is doing the right thing. Everyone should apply his or her knowledge, principles, and reasoning wisely so as to help the organization meet its goals (Ronald, 2005, p.277). Individuals should be responsible and work without supervision. The individuals should also be moderate in all their undertakings. I interacted with managers and directors who had great experience in leadership. They helped me know the importance of doing the right thing and act as an example to other individuals in an organization. With time, my experience and my efforts helped emerge as a winner when I was lastly promoted. The events that took place as I was trying to do what is right helped me to gain much courage in all my undertakings as long as I knew that I was doing the right thing. The organization has a team of experts that hold meetings together with the management and some employees to discuss what is right for the employees in the organization. This has helped improve the quality of behavior that individuals portray in the organization.
Potential Effect of the Ethics
When I was promoted to join the management team, the individuals in the departments could never work when a director was not around. I used my virtues to act as an example to these people and showed them that doing the right thing regardless of the person watching you was important. I showed them that they can integrate their goals to the goal of the organization (Brian, 2007, prg.5). This would help them achieve their goals and the organization would also achieve its goals. I always acted responsibly convinced them the importance of being responsible. I take any work in any department in the organization and show them that the work is very important.
Importance of Ethics to an Organization
Any organization requires ethics because it helps it meet its goals. The ethics in an organization helps individuals to always do what is right and be responsible for their actions. It helps reduce cases of corruption because every person fells obliged to do what is right. It helps shape the conscience of individuals in the organization whereby they work even without supervision (Brian, 2007, prg.11). When every person is responsible, he or she works towards meeting his or her own goals and in the process, the organization meets its own goals. Individuals learn to be honest, courageous, act wisely, and be responsible. The organization achieves greater growth since every person takes his or her work as his or her responsibility.
Conclusion
Personal ethics helps individuals to be responsible in all their actions. I developed my personal ethics straight from my college where I always tried to do what is right. I acted courageously, fairly, wisely, and with temperance. My interaction with the management, my experiences, and the events that occurred help me develop my personal ethics in a great way. My personal ethics also helped me shape the behavior of many people in the organization by acting as an example to them. Ethics help an organization meet its goals when every individual in the organization puts effort to do what is right.
Reference
Brian, O. (2007). Strategic Leadership and Decision Making: Values and Ethics. Web.
Ronald, R. S. (2005). The Challenge of ethical Behavior in Organizations. Journal of Business Ethics. 8(2): 276-289.