Key Values in My Organization, Essay Example

The term organizational behavior refers to the tolerable standards of conduct that govern the conduct of individuals in an organization, devoid of which persons will pursue conducts that are aligned to their personal value systems, that might result in behaviors that an organization does not wish to encourage. These organizational values must be aligned to the vision and purpose or mission of the organization so as to avail a framework for collective leadership of the organization (Barrett, 2006). The key values of our organization include: quality services, communication, excellence, integrity, transparency, responsibility, improvement, diversity, dedication, accountability, ambition, respect, teamwork, innovativeness, efficiency, stewardship, independence, challenge, dependability, persistence and flexibility.

Description of Values That Are Similar to My Personal Values

Personal values refer to the qualities or traits considered to be worthwhile to an individual; they represent the highest priorities of an individual plus driving force that are profoundly held by him/her (Barrett, 2006). Two values upheld by our organization and similar to my personal values are improvement and integrity. Our organization recognizes that its growth is connected to the growth to the growth of experience and skills of its workers. Thus, it recognizes the need to offer its staff with constant means for developing their professional and knowledge skills. In a similar manner, I realize that my personal growth can only be achieved through increased experience and skills and thus I always seek various ways to develop my professional and knowledge skills. In terms of integrity, our company just like I, works towards sustaining operational and intellectual integrity irrespective of any circumstance that it faces.

How are your organization’s values communicated to all its employees?

Communication of organizational values refers to the manner in which intent is executed and the follow up conducts that cause concern (Moingeon & Soenen, 2002). In our organization, once a set of values are identified as essential to the business (e.g. following a staff survey, a recognized lapse in customer focus, etc) an external consultant is invited to facilitate a value conference with the top management. Then the every manager conducts or holds a value workshop with his team. Once done with the value workshops, the information collected from each team is discussed by selected workers, after which ideas for improvement are communicated directly to staff through managers by the means of team briefings. Each team is expected to monitor the results of particular improvements, build on them, and measure their outcomes either via sales or staff survey in case of a customer or workers respectively.

Indicate how stories, analogies and metaphors are used or ought to be used to communicate these values.

Metaphors, analogies and stories are powerful instruments of communication in any social setting, and an organization is not an exception. Metaphors, analogies and stories engage emotions which cause release of chemicals that serve as powerful tools for retention. We don’t engage vicariously in a circumstance when we connect to them; rather we connect directly and thus initiating a biologically based response. They inspire hope by engaging imagination, thus opening alternative ways of action, conquering “mental blocks.” Metaphors, analogies and stories turn out to be shared experience within groups availing imagery and a common language for communication. They develop a realm of possibility and entertain thoughts that facilitate change (Moingeon & Soenen, 2002).

Our organization ought to utilize Metaphors, analogies and stories for the purposes below:

1. To simplify some of its complex communication- these tools may convey a philosophical meaning. When these tools utilize a familiar concept to produce an internal link and convey the meaning, they serve as effective and efficient communication tools.
2. Depersonalizing communication- these tools can be used to convey the intended meaning through hypothetical scenarios and without necessarily making personal comments. Thus the recipients of a particular communication do not feel embarrassed, offended or pointed at.
3. Personalizing communication – in case an organization has an unemotional or impersonal image, it can personalize metaphors so as to appeal to human sentiments instead of communicating in non-personal and legal language. Use of metaphors puts life in an organization and may represent its culture and mission.
4. Getting attention to its values- human mind likes to listen to utilize Metaphors, analogies and stories, adorned with sensory language and visual effects, since information conveyed in this manner stays longer in the memory. Hence our company should use these tools to draw attention to its values.
5. Overcoming resistance to some values- the organization should utilize these tools to convey some of its values that have proved to be problematic and ask those affected to end it. This avoids direct finger pointing and avoids resistance.

Kouzes and Posner advocate setting the example by aligning actions with shared values (p. 105). Describe two examples where you did this or could have done this in your workplace environment. (16 marks)

Example 1:

Where an organization launches a fresh service without organizing its internal processes and ends up creating problems for the customers. Once the managements realize this and want to avoid the same in future, they institute a sign-off procedure for every fresh service that it introduces. This policy remains in operation until organizational members’ starts grumbling concerning the elaborate sign-off procedure after realizing its irregularity with the notion of trust and respect for an individual. In this circumstance, I would create a process and an environment that will facilitate individuals to safely recognize and get rid of these misalignments (Neubert et al, 2009).

Example 2:

Assuming that one of our core values is supporting employee creativity and participation, and thus I want to encourage ideas and inputs from people all over our organization; I make a suggestion box. Although this an alignment already, I decide to effectuate this mechanism, I take this concept to another level by sticking a number of suggestion boxes in each lunch room, conference, corridor and hallway i.e. anywhere individuals could be when they find an idea. In addition, I may add a commitment that each suggestion, whether signed or anonymous, will receive a public response in form of a statement within 48 hours indicating the appropriate action that will be taken and the person responsible for executing that action .

Part B: Ethical Decision Making and Ethical Leadership Describe how Nash’s ethical decision-making framework is evident in your workplace. Indicate how this framework is used or could have been used when critical decisions were made in your workplace. (16 marks)

In our organization, there is a reconciliation committee which handles cases involving breach of ethical principles. It listens to the particular cases and then assesses whether there is actual bleach of the organizational ethics, and then the committee passes its judgment which is final. This is in line with Nash’s decision making framework as the two parts are observed i.e. a moral brief plus a justification schema (Nash, 2002).

When making critical decisions in our organization, the Nash’s decision making framework can be very helpful. While handling a particular case involving an ethical dilemma, this framework can guide us through the following steps until an amicable decision or solution is arrived at:

• Assessing whether a case amounts to a moral dilemma
• Sets of choices available in a conflict
• Checking the morally relevant actors
• Checking when the actual action took place and whether “when” in particular is morally relevant
• Assessing whether the manner or style of action is morally relevant
• Assessing the foreseeable consequence of every decision
• Checking the foreseeable principles that are involved in every decision
• Checking the position as per the code of ethics
• Giving a final decision (Nash, 2002).

Describe the code of ethics in your workplace. If there isn’t one, then outline what you believe ought to be in the code of ethics in your particular workplace. (16 marks)

The code of ethics ought to be a statement of various ethical behaviors, values and practices expected of both the employees and the management at the workplace though not only restricted to this. The basic principles that should be contained in the code of conduct include: professionalism, justice, integrity, confidentiality, skills, legitimacy, consequence, cooperation, positive thinking, optimism, respect, etc. The code of ethics should be intended to assist employees in an organization to recognize and resolve ethical issues or potential dilemmas which may arise throughout their employment. It should be designed to assist them deal with their colleagues and should propose a number of general principals as opposed to detailed prescriptions. The code of ethics should seek to improve the relationships amongst the employees/workers within the organization. It should stand beside, but not replace or exclude, the obligations and rights of the management and employees’ under legislation and common law.

Explain two examples of ethical leadership behavior as they relate to your workplace environment. (12 marks)

1. Upholding integrity- managers can demonstrate this by keeping full operational and intellectual integrity despite the unique and challenging situation facing them. For instance, giving the correct financial information despite continued poor share performance, promoting employees on the basis of merit only, always telling the truth to employees even if this may not be welcomed by them.
2. Respecting employees- management places the need to offer services of superior quality to their clients as a first priority. This drives the manner in which the organization works and organizes itself. Management may do this by valuing and respecting the needs, the ambitions and the contribution of its suppliers and employees, by developing an open, stimulating and safe working environment which allows take pleasure having fun and co-operating.

Explain two examples of unethical leadership behavior as they relate to your workplace environment. (12 marks)

1. Lying to financial analysts and employees- this can happen when the top management decides to give misleading information may be to bridge their own issues or to hide an impending or already existing impossibility in performance as expected of them within the organization. Misrepresentation of financial figures is illegal and its effects can be far reaching to current and potential stakeholders. Managers may lie to employees to avoid union action or a looming strike. When employees realize that they were cheated, this may kill their morale (Schein, 2004).
2. Unfair promotion of employees- managers may make decisions and reward employees on the basis of bottom line only. This disregards performance as a measure of performance and introduces a feeling amongst employees that their efforts go unnoticed and unappreciated. This may also happen when managers favor their close friends and relative in allocating emergent chances within the company or even unjustly creating opportunities for them, at the expense of the company.

References

Barrett, R. (2006). Building a values-driven organization: a whole system approach to cultural transformation. UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Moingeon, B. & Soenen, G.B. (2002). Corporate and organizational identities: integrating strategy, marketing, communication and organizational perspectives. UK: Routledge.

Nash, R.J. (2002). “Real world” ethics: frameworks for educators and human service professionals. 2^nd Ed. New York: Teachers College Press.

Neubert, M.J., Carlson, D.S., Kacmar, K.M., Roberts, J.A. & Chonko, L.B. (2009). The virtuous of ethical leadership behavior: Evidence from the field. Journal of business ethics, 90(2), 157-170.

Schein, E.H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership.  3^rd Ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons.