ethical edge: PERFORMANCE CHARACTER
By Russell T. Williams, PASSKEYS - inspiring ethical excellence
Integrity's Competitive Assets
PERFORMANCE CHARACTER
The famous Supreme Court Justice, Oliver Wendell Holmes, was traveling in a railroad car at age 88. The story goes that the conductor, realizing the distinguished Jurist was on board, came by to ask Justice Holmes for his ticket. When Holmes could not put his hands on it, the conductor commented, "Oh, don't worry, Sir, the Pennsylvania RR will be happy to trust such a distinguished gentleman as yourself. Once you find your ticket, you can mail it in." "My dear man," Holmes replied, "My problem is not just my ticket. My real problem is, where am I going?"
Leadership: One Quiver and One Set of Ethical Arrows
Where are America's professional and business leaders going with the call for ethical leadership? Be assured that Washington's drum beat for greater and more effective organizational compliance, regulations and transparency will not be the prairie fire for integrity's message in the marketplace. Ethical leadership is moving and will continue to move with the story of self-governance.
My college friend and fraternity brother of the mid-1960's, Brian Marcotte, had a stellar leadership career in the international oil industry with Unocal which culminated in his multi-year position as President of Unocal Indonesia Company. In February, 2002, Brian gave a major address to the Indonesia Petroleum Association titled: Managing In An Unmanageable World. His words were a clarion call to the important messaging of ethical leadership.
He began his address stating, "I don't think you can talk about business ethics as something apart from personal ethics. I believe that we need to talk about personal ethics that dictate how we behave both on and off the job."
Brian stated with clarity what every 21st century business leader must know about their executive skill set. Every leader has only one quiver in which they can place their set of values propositions. These values propositions are the ethical arrows used by an individual to target their ethical problem solving. These ethical arrows represent competitive assets for use at our work; in our community affairs; in our charitable efforts; in how we spend time with our friends and family. We carry our quiver of ethical arrows everywhere, using them for the constant monitoring of our personal and professional performance and behavior.
Leaders of integrity know that there is not one quiver and set of arrows for work and another set ready to be used 'off-duty' when we are not wearing our professional leadership hat. Such action would be an ethical charade, which if given enough time, would be exposed as fake or fraudulent or both.
Thus, where are leaders going as ethical practitioners in a profit-driven workplace? Marcotte states it clearly, "Personal honesty and integrity are the fundamental foundations for profitability, effective management and harmonious relationships. The key is for each of us to demonstrate it. If we want to make honesty and integrity a way of life, we need to live it because values tend to be caught, not taught."
Performance Character
Ethical leadership can be defined on the job as performance character. Tom Lickona and Matt Davidson are revolutionizing the work of character education with their research exploring performance character. In their Fall, 2008, excellence & ethics inaugural newsletter, they explained the performance character paradigm. "Performance character is a mastery orientation. It consists of those qualities such as diligence, determination, a strong work ethic, resilience, adaptability and self-discipline needed to achieve our highest potential in any performance environment (ex. academics, co-curricular activities, the workplace, etc)
"Performance character is not the same as performance. Performance is the outcome (ex. the grade, the honor, the achievement, the contract won, the recognition received) whereas performance character consists of behavioral strengths, such as best effort and persistence, that enable us to pursue our personal best... whether the outcome is realized or not. In the long run, performance character does maximize performance because it brings to bear strategies by which we get the most from our natural talent."
Morphing Lickona and Davidson's groundbreaking research to workplace culture, there is a distinct message to communicate: What are the ethical assets... the values competencies... that will enhance performance character in an organization at every level of leadership?
At the ethical edge, there is an answer to this question... the seven Competitive Assets... the self governance performance character skills defining personal and professional integrity. Here they are:
Ethical Edge Competitive Assets Shaping Workplace Performance Character
Values Proposition #1: Managing Choice
I practice personal responsibility for my thoughts, feelings and actions.
The first arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance as responsibility. Bruce Barton stated, "Nothing splendid has ever happened except by those who dared to believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance." Nothing happens to me. Everything happens through me.
Values Proposition #2: Managing Conflict
I practice mutual respect as I meet both success and failure.
The second arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance as respect for myself and others. Soren Kierkegaard wrote, "Be that self which one truly is." Every person has worth and dignity. I can learn to act unceasingly with respect in all of my relationships.
Values Proposition #3: Managing Calling
I practice serving others using my unique talents and abilities.
The third arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance defined as putting my talents to work for purposes larger than myself. John Stewart Mills commented, "Try yourself tirelessly until you find the highest thing you are capable of doing and then do it." I use my talent and time for purposes of giving, not simply getting.
Values Proposition #4: Managing Clarity
I practice a plan of action to accomplish my mission and goals.
The fourth arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance defined as activating my plan to accomplish my mission and goals. Franklin Delano Roosevelt voiced, "To reach a port we must sail; Sail not anchor. Sail, not drift." Uniting intention and action I produce results that are achievable, controllable, challenging, desirable and measureable.
Values Proposition #5: Managing Cause & Effect
I practice releasing the Lesser to achieve the More.
The fifth arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance defined as paying the price. Dwight Eisenhower said it well, "There is no victory at bargain basement prices." The inviolable Law of Economy can be simply stated: There is a price I must pay for everything I need or want.
Values Proposition #6: Managing Cooperation
I practice being connected to my Source and to my communities.
The sixth arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance defined as belonging. Marcus Aurelius is immortalized with these words: "Men exist for the sake of each other." Success occurs on the outside when others are at my side. Success happens on the inside as I know I am in partnership.
Values Proposition #7: Managing Completions
I practice perseverance knowing it is always too soon to give up.
The seventh arrow in the ethical quiver is self governance defined as persistence. Aesop wisely stated, "Plodding wins the prize." I constantly fail into success as I move two steps forward and one step back.
These seven ethical edge values propositions are the performance character arrows that can be put into the quiver of ethical edge organizations. Together, they confront and resolve the seven failure factors that are continually at play in the lives of individuals and the organizations in which they work.
In coming ethical edge articles the seven values propositions will be examined with rubber-meets-the-road storytelling, demonstrating how each values proposition addresses organizational cultures where trust can be breached and integrity placed in Harm's Way.
The Ethical Archer's Essential Arrow
Orison Marsden wrote, "Just make up your mind at the very outset that your work is going to stand for quality... that you are going to stamp a superior quality upon everything that goes from your hands... that whatever you do shall bear the hallmark of excellence."
The superior quality of performance character can happen at work, in the community, at home as the ethical edge Competitive Assets are practiced. This is where we are going... self governance. This is the work of 21st century leaders whose inspired actions will guide others to pursue their ethical edge.
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