We all have a role in establishing a culture of ethics at work – but what does 商业道德 look like in practice, and how can leaders ensure it flows from the top down?
作为我们正在进行的道德对话的一部分, 我们采访了两位道德专家:奈杰尔·艾尔, FCMA, CGMA, 和克莱尔·莱维森, 188bet亚洲真人体育下载网址, CGMA, to delve into the essential strategies for embedding ethics within the workplace.
在这个富有洞察力的采访系列中, Nigel and Clare explore the significance of leadership in exemplifying ethical behavior, the role of open communication and introspection, 有道德的公司的共同特征, 和具体的, meaningful demonstrations of ethics that go beyond mere box-checking exercises.
Establishing and exemplifying ethics in the workplace
Q: What are the most important strategies for successfully establishing ethics in a workplace?
答:克莱尔 -高层的语气至关重要. Leaders have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Every organization should have an ethics statement that says what the morals and values of the organization are, and employees must see mid-level managers and leaders model the behavior they have said is culturally important.
答:奈杰尔 – Every leader must acknowledge that no organization is immune to fraud or financial harm. Instead of living in denial until disaster strikes, it's wise to encourage and reward employees who proactively identify and halt unethical practices before they spread.
Q: How can business leaders exemplify ethics and set a positive example in their company without coming across as self-promotional?
答:奈杰尔 –道德 conversations should also be introspective.CEOs [and business leaders] should discuss their mistakes candidly because it opens the door for others to reflect on theirs. Have people ask themselves, "What have I done in my life? 我什么时候越界了?对话培养良好的道德，而不是规则. 道德不能归结为一套规则.
答:克莱尔 – Business leaders need to create an environment that encourages open and honest communication, 而不是等着别人来找他们. By actively seeking out the opinions and insights of team members, they feel respected and valued. If you want others to trust you, you have to be willing to trust them. You also have to give people the opportunity not to be perfect. Acknowledge when a mistake is made and its impact on others, and then use these opportunities for reflection and growth.
Q: When you think about companies that are viewed as ethical, what are the commonalities you see between them?
答:克莱尔 – Two fundamental factors stand out: prioritization and alignment with their mission. A company's priorities and focus often shape its public image. Companies should also cultivate a culture of “positive peer pressure” where employees are supported, even if upholding ethical standards means occasionally foregoing other aspects, 比如截止日期或销售.
答:奈杰尔 – Unethical behavior can be minimized, but never completely eradicated. Ethical companies foster good habits within teams and promote mutual respect. 一个典型的例子是一位首席执行官, upon discovering widespread fraud in his company, initiated a two-month amnesty for employees to report wrongdoings without retribution. 这种方法揭露了50起欺诈案件, 降低公司运营成本, and boosted profitability – all by instilling a new ethical standard that normalized making mistakes.
Q: What are good examples of meaningful ethical measures that businesses can take to distinguish themselves from box-checking exercises?
答:克莱尔 –If you’re selling people an ethical culture, you have to do it just like you would market a product. 就像一句口号. 它应该被醒目地展示出来, 容易理解, and resonate with the organization and its mission. Once it’s out there, decide: how are we going to actually put that into action? Hold yourself accountable by making sure that business decisions align with this highly visible statement.
答:奈杰尔 -深入到组织的表层之下. Create real-life scenarios and then play out those roles with a partner. You can scale it down and run these "think like a thief" workshops where [small groups] discuss the worst thing they've ever done – not as a victim, 而是作为犯罪者, typically someone from the outside like a supplier or customer. 通过寻找真实的例子, when people say that couldn't happen to our organization, 有人说, “嗯, 它就是这么做的, 实际上，我们刚刚找到了它."
关于克莱尔·莱维森
Clare is a member of the 188bet亚洲真人体育下载 职业道德 Executive Committee and the founder of 激发了责任. Her consulting company delivers organizational education via positive messages and meaningful content.
关于Nigel Iyer
Nigel is a CIMA Fellow and co-founder of the company B4 在瑞典. He has dedicated the last 25 years to enabling organizations to recognize, 删除, and resolve financial damage and fraud before it spreads.