Topic 4 ~ Intro to Integrity

When Facing an Ethical decision . . . Decide whether there is a Professional Obligation to do the Right Thing Is your Job a Profession? If your Job is a Profession, is there a Professional Obligation to be Ethical? (Opportunity + Need) If there is a Professional Obligation: Follow the Process: Decide what is the right thing to do. Be motivated to do the right thing. Have a happy heart when doing the right thing.

What does it mean, to live with “integrity” To live with “Integrity” you must have: Compassion Courage Conviction Your Convictions will be based upon: Your Own Values Informed, Respectful Exchanges with Others Careful Research and Accurate, Honest Evalutaion

This Semester, You will have lots of opportunities or chances to: Identify your own values Examine your values: logical assessment/evaluation Explore key points of integrity and develop them within

Goal You will learn how to: Live with Integrity Lead with Integrity

Three Key Words Living Leadership Integrity

How do you “live with integrity?” Living with Integrity means enjoying the “Fullness of Life”: calls upon us to be present and involves thriving in your own humanity. This includes: Friendships Basic Material Comforts Intelligence Appreciation of Beauty Consciously living a morally sensitive life

Group Discussion You and a female friend are studying abroad and interning at a massive company. This company pays for the study abroad trip and the president of your department has a close relationship with your professor. Your friend comes to you and confesses that her department boss is sexually harassing her. She is shy and uncomfortable, and is too scared to make a big issue of it. You know that what this boss is doing is wrong. You know that other girls from later years may have to work with him. You know that you are a guest in this country and this company, and you were all told to respect your superiors and make a good impression. Your friend wants you to remain quiet. What do you do?

How do you “lead with Integrity” Five essential features of good leaders: They model the way Inspire a shared vision Challenge the Process Enable others to act Encourage the heart. You can do none of these without integrity: Doing what you think is right, even when this means leading and not following the crowd. Your conviction to do what is right will bring others along.

Read Paragraph 2 on page 3 What of the 5 leadership qualities did Ms. Watkins demonstrate? They model the way Inspire a shared vision Challenge the Process Enable others to act Encourage the heart.

Personally, Additional quality The ability to know when to obey, because that is also doing the right thing.

Qualities: #1, 3, 4, 5 Also showed --- Courage & Conviction  Watkins took responsibility and reported the unethical accounting @Enron  Watkins: Was a good person who did NOT look the other way, did NOT ignore the situation “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (&/or women) do nothing” --- Edmund Burke, Irish philosopher

Take out a piece of paper: Take a moment and think about whether you possess these leadership qualities? Are you strong in some of them? Are there some you need to develop more? How might you improve on them?

Groups Each Team, pick a leadership quality and think of one way to practice strengthening that quality

People with Integrity: Understand and communicate their own values, but also are able to understand and communicate with people who have different values. Are imaginative and are good at thinking about the long and short term consequences of different strategies Respect and care for people and build successful relationships When they disagree, they don’t lose their temper Are brave, honest, humble, and fair Understand the role of ethics in their personal, civic, and working lives. Have a robust sense of justice and work to create more just institutions.

Take out a piece of paper: Take a moment and think about whether you possess these leadership qualities? Are you strong in some of them? Are there some you need to develop more? How might you improve on them?

Why should you have integrity? Two Reasons: Socrates: Wise people will simply understand why you should do the right thing. Aristotle: Having integrity is part of living a full, complete, and happy life. (Death Bed) Reasons in the Workplace: Integrity alone does not make organizations effective, but without integrity no organization is effective. No teamwork No commitment Globally, Unless our world operates on integrity, individuals cannot act with integrity.

one person does something that hurts someone else = Personal Misconduct Wrongdoing = one person does something that hurts someone else = personal misconduct

Out of Ignorance (Aristotle, Kant, Plato, Buddhism) Causes Out of Ignorance (Aristotle, Kant, Plato, Buddhism) Two Types of Ignorance: Ignorant of what is right or wrong Ignorant of whether something is in the category of right or wrong. Example: Lying Know telling a lie is wrong Telling a Lie to not hurt other’s feelings and you believe this is not a lie.

doing the wrong thing simply to do wrong. Causes Malice (Aristotle): doing the wrong thing simply to do wrong. You know your behavior is wrong, but do it anyway.

Weakness of Will (Aristotle): Causes Weakness of Will (Aristotle): wants to do the right thing, but has desires conflicting with it. Mind knows what is right, but your emotions conflict. We have all sorts of excuses.

Failure of Empathy (Hume) Causes Failure of Empathy (Hume) “Blaming the victim” so you feel no guilt.

Cures Ignorance and Malice Pay Attention to what is happening. Know what is right and wrong. Know how to find out what is right and wrong. Develop courage, compassion, Conviction Practice and Watch Others. Make Being Good a Habit Don’t desensitize yourself to human suffering. Never start being bad, it’s a hard road to come back from.

Cures Weakness of Will You have your mind, heart, and spirit to tell you what to do. So do it. If it is because you are afraid, remember that most fears are “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Reject Excuses

Cures Lack of Empathy Connect with Others Get Involved

Is “Business Ethics” an oxymoron Why Yes? Business is cutthroat, and the rules do not apply. Self-defense, Survival Obligation to get the most profit for clients Why No? People cannot survive by themselves, we must commit to a civil society. “War of all against all,” where “life is nasty, poor, brutish, and short.” Level playing field. Relationship with clients does not trump duty to society. Why is it actually a benefit? Public relations is important to encouraging trust amongst clients. The success of an organization depends on its employees’ ethics.

Group Discussion Your company has a firm policy regarding cases of theft of company property. Used company equipment is on a table to be sold by bid each month. You see a valued employee who is 2 months from retirement slip an electric drill from the table and put it in his car before the day of the sale. What so you do?