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Work Ethics - A Paradigm Shift
Work ethics is a hot topic in today's business and educational worlds. Yet, how do we define this hybrid phrase with the word work meaning more than a specific outcome and the word ethics being more than the values that enhance that outcome? When we say we are going to work, work becomes the place of employment. When we say we are working, the implication is that we are engaged in a work-related activity and should be performing one or more specific tasks. However, the word work in today's global economy does not easily denote specific outcomes much less measurable ones. Years ago when our economy was agrarian based, farmers said they were going to work the fields. Their work or more specifically the outcomes of their work could be viewed from the plowed fields to the stacked bales of hay. In today's technology and service driven economy, workers outcomes are not as nearly recognizable, but what is noticed is their behavior. Now, ethics is a difficult word to define, as it is more than the enhancement of outcomes. This is aptly demonstrated by the variety of expectations such as being to work or school on time, performing quality work, being self-directed, having self-initiative, or being positive to both fellow contributors and customers. Ethics, from these expectations, encompass the internal behaviors of the contributors or what I really believe are attitudes. Let's step out of the box and construct a new and more accurate term that meets the expectations of both the business and educational worlds. First, let's ask ourselves are we more concerned with the behavior or the attitudes? If we recognize that it is the attitudes that drive the behaviors that generate the outcomes, it would suggest that the contributors' attitudes have the greater impact on the outcomes. Next, since behavior has numerous meanings, possibly we can substitute performance for behavior. Performance can be measured provided the organization has accurate and complete expectations, valid assessments that do not penalize the contributors along with a well-communicated strategic plan. Through clearly articulated goals with consistent leadership and management, contributors have the opportunity to improve their performance thereby achieving measurable results. Attitudes of performance appear then to better describe the desired outcomes and expectations that we have as employers, educators or even parents. As we all are contributors, by focusing on attitudes early in our performance experiences, we have the means to improve ourselves, our businesses and more importantly our communities. Leanne Hoagland-Smith is President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, The Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she partners with her clients to connect the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance to affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. Her ROI solutions align the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers leading to loyal external customers. She is the co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 205 release. Leanne also speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or email leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking sustainable results for your business or yourself. Copyright 2005 Leanne Hoagland-Smith, http://www.processspecialist.com Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. Help News pick Stadium's greatest moment (New York Daily News) The News is marking the countdown to the final game at The House That Ruth Built by reflecting on Yankee Stadium's greatest moments - and we're asking you - the reader - to help us pick out the best of the best. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp. executive Mark Williams has taken over as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere in an interim capacity, News Corp. said after the move led to renewed takeover speculation. Site: news - Google News New Voices in Congress Will Change the Tone of the Democratic Majority - New York Times
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for ethics Charges against Queens assemblyman amplifies calls for ethics reform (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) In the wake of charges by a federal prosecutor that a Queens assemblyman solicited $500,000 in bribes from people trying to influence state government, reform groups Thursday renewed their calls for tougher state ethics laws. Ethics panel clears Gibbons (Reno Gazette-Journal) A Nevada Ethics Commission panel concluded Thursday that there's no evidence to support a claim by a state Democratic Party official that Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons pressured a county assessor to get an unwarranted property tax break. Charges against assemblyman spur call for tighter ethics laws (The Journal News) Following charges by a federal prosecutor that an assemblyman from Queens solicited $500,000 in bribes from people trying to influence state government, reform groups yesterday renewed their calls for tougher state ethics laws. Ethics complaint filed against Loux over salary hikes (Las Vegas Review-Journal) Assembly Minority Leader Heidi Gansert, R-Reno, filed an ethics complaint today against Nevada Nuclear Projects Agency chief Bob Loux. The complaint alleges that Loux improperly used his position to ?grant unwarranted privileges? to himself in violation of state ethics laws. House overrides ethics veto, 110-3 (Herald & Review) SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois House on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich's veto of a major campaign ethics bill. The question of whether to outlaw so-called pay-to-play politics now rests with the state Senate. Ethics complaint filed in pay raise flap (The Fresno Bee) The head of Nevada's anti-nuclear dump agency was hit Thursday with an ethics complaint filed by a legislative leader irate that the official gave himself and other staffers pay increases far above authorized amounts. Read comments Judge tells ethics luncheon 'Ethics is hard work' (Midland Reporter-Telegram) By Mella McEwen Oil Editor Ethics was the topic of Thursday's luncheon during the West Texas Geological Society's annual Fall Symposium. Ethics committee meets in secret (The Auburn Citizen) ALBANY - The New York Assembly's ethics committee met behind closed doors in an unannounced session Thursday involving a disciplinary case. Members wouldn't say if it concerned a colleague now facing federal charges of taking $500,000 in illegal payments, another accused of an extramarital affair with a legislative employee or a third accused of sexually harassing a woman. Ligon cleared of state ethics complaint (The Woodlands Villager) Attorney Brett Ligon, who defeated incumbent District Attorney Michael McDougal for the Republican nomination in the April runoff election, has been cleared of any wrongdoing regarding a complaint filed against him with the Texas Ethics Commission shortly before the runoff. Pelosi taps Va. Rep. Bobby Scott for ethics panel (Richmond Times-Dispatch) NEWPORT NEWS -- Virginia Representative Bobby Scott has been appointed to the House Ethics Committee. The Newport News Democrat said yesterday he was appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the committee, formally known as the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. He will succeed Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the Ohio Democrat who died Aug. 20. Site: ethics - Google News Ethics Overhaul Sought in Massachusetts - New York Times
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