Lesson No 5

Challenges in the Work Place

 Challenges at work place
• Punctuality
• Quality of work
• Commitment to the job
• Good character in the workplace
• Character
– Aggressiveness
– Ambitiousness
– selfishness
– Cheerfulness
– Goodwill
– Generosity
– As many as you can think…..
Audio link:20200408-234649
 Types of Character
• The Sensitive (Humble and emotional)
• The active
• Intelligent
• The apathetic (purely apathetic or dull)
• Reactive
• Rash
Audio link:20200409-000754
 Ethics and Character
Important factors
• Trust level
• Habit and skill
• Thoughts
• Beliefs
• Vision
Audio link:20200409-004444
Character Improvement Theory

Stephen R . covey
Author of the 7(seven)
Habits of Highly effective people
 According to Stephen R. Covey
• Be Proactive
Proactivity has a lot to do with a
person’s “circle of influence”.
What you can control, what you can influence
and what is out of your reach.
Proactivity is strongly related to acknowledging
your own responsibility and influence.
The first big step that has to be taken is the
step from dependence to independence.
2. Begin with the end in Mind
This is the habit of vision, objectives, and
mission.
Beginning with the end in mind means that
when you make decisions today you
consistently take into consideration what you
stand for ‘in general’.
You determine what you find important in life,
what you stand for, what you want to
accomplish.
3. Put first things first
This habit has to do with integrity, discipline,
sticking to your agreements.
What is life about, and how do you wish to
shape your own life? Knowing this, you will
get to work pro-actively while setting the
right priorities.
The second big step is that of independence
to (self-selected) interdependence.
4. Think win-win
This is the habit of the Paradox.
Temptation is strong to think in terms of winning OR
losing- or wanting to be right.
The trick is to recognize that a paradox provides an
opportunity to unite the poles.
You can accomplish this by thinking in terms of win-
win. In case of conflicts you will always search for
solutions that are fair to all parties and in which
there are no losers.
5. Seek first to understand then to be understood
Concentrate first on understanding the other person
and then put energy into being understood.
6. Synergize
The sixth habit of the seven habits of highly effective
people, that is required to achieve interdependence
is synergizing.
This means that your approach is fundamentally
based on respect, cooperation and trust.
This is the habit of strengthening.
The objective is to find the third path: how can two
paradoxes be combined into something better?
7. Sharpen the saw
The last habit is maintenance which tells you
about improving yourself and perseverance.
By taking plenty of exercise, rest, meditation,
etcetera, you will keep your body, mind,
relationships and spirituality in balance.
 Edward-de-Bono
Inventor of Lateral Thinking and Strategic
Brain Training
Audio link:20200409-183759
video
 Negativity
Elements that create negativity
• Practical experience
• Continuously discouraged
• Inspiration in negative way
Audio link:20200409-190913
 How to Remove Negativity?

• Test your thoughts

• Change yourself
• Make a friend who thinks positive
How can a person change himself
According to the theory of Edward de Bono
• Thoughts
• Beliefs
• Experience
• Training
• Knowledge
• Personality type
• Nature
• Habits
 Building Character in the Work
Place

• Education as a tool of character building

Increased intelligence or physical skill
Determines the ideals of human character
Helps to determine the aims of life
• Employee hiring, training and promotion
activities
Organization policy
Recruiting procedure
Orientation about ‘six pillars’ of character
Evaluation of fundamental character values
Institute recognition and reward system
Thinking of your employees
• Internal Communication
Internal news letters
Workplace poster
Mailers
Electronic Mails
• External Communication
Marketing activities
Honoring the products
Positive messages
• Financial and human resources
Support projects
Sponsor movements
• Community Outreach
Encourage mentoring
Encourage educational organizations
Encourage business groups
18 A Textbook on Professional Ethics and Human Values

the outcome of a series of volitions, and it is for this reason we are responsible for our characters, as we
are for the individual habits which go to constitute them.
1.19.3 Types of Character
From the four fundamental temperaments, various classifications of character have been adopted by
different psychologists. The intellectual, the emotional, and the volitional or energetic are the chief
types with A. Bain. M. Pérez, based on the phenomenon of movement, distinguishes characters as
lively, slow, ardent, and well-balanced. M. Ribot, with more subjective division and excluding indefinite
types as ‘characterless’, recognizes the forms as:
(a) the sensitive (humble, contemplative and emotional,
(b) the active (great and the mediocre), and
(c) the apathetic (purely apathetic or dull), and
(d) the intelligent.
1.19.4 Ethics and Character
Whilst psychology investigates the growth of different types of character, ethics considers the relative
value of such types and the virtues which constitute them. The problem of the true moral ideal is a
question of the relative value of different types of character. The effect on the person’s character of a
particular form of conduct is a universally accepted as a test of its moral quality. Different systems of
ethics emphasize different virtues in constituting the ideal moral character. With the utilitarian, who
places the ethical end in the maximum happiness for the whole community, benevolence will form the
primary element in the ideal character. For the stoic, fortitude and self-control are the chief excellences.
In all conceptions of ideal character, firmness of will, fortitude, constancy in adhering to principle
or in pursuit of a noble aim are held important. A man of character is frequently equivalent to being
capable of adhering to a fixed purpose. Another essential is the virtue of justice, the recognition of the
rights, duties, and claims of others. The richer the culture of the mind, the larger the intellectual
horizon, the broader the sympathies, the more will the character approximate to the ideal of human
perfection.
1.19.5 Education and Character
The aim of education is not only the cultivation of the intellect but also the formation of moral
character. Increased intelligence or physical skill may as easily be employed to the detriment or benefit
of the community, if not accompanied by improved will. It is the function of ethics to determine the
ideals of human character. The theory and science of education are to study the processes by which that
end may be attained.
1.19.6 Building Character in the Workplace
Managers have to influence and employ creative means of stressing the importance of good character
in the workplace, in the following ways6,7:
1. Employee Hiring, Training, and Promotion Activities
(a) Institute and adopt an organization policy statement to positive character in the workplace.
For example, commitment to civility pledges. This may be communicated through printing
on the back of the business cards of the employees.
Human Values 19

(b) Prominently and explicitly include character considerations in recruiting procedures, during
interviews and in the hiring deliberations.
(c) Emphasize the importance of character and adherence to the ‘six pillars’ of character in
orientation, initial job training, and during in-service training. The six pillars of character
are the ethical values, such as: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and
citizenship. Respect means showing high regard for self, others, authority, property and
country. It includes showing appreciation for cultural diversity by valuing all people as
human beings. Responsibility is
(i) being accountable for one’s actions,
(ii) being dependable in carrying out obligations and duties,
(iii) being reliable and consistent in word and action, and
(iv) being committed to community development. Integrity or fairness means showing the
inner strength and courage to be truthful, trustworthy, fair and honest in all things. It
includes acting justly and honorably. Caring means being kind, considerate, courteous,
helpful, friendly and generous to others, and being compassionate by treating others as
you would like to be treated. Citizenship means accepting and adopting civic rights
and duties as a citizen of the country.
(d) Include evaluation of fundamental character values such as honesty, promise keeping,
accountability, fairness, and caring, in appraisals/reviews.
(e) Institute recognition and reward system for the employees who exemplify the positive
character. for example, awards and medals.
(f) Think of your employees, especially the younger ones, as people whose personal and work
values will be influenced by what you expect of them and how you treat them.
(g) Think of your employees as present or future mentors, coaches, and volunteers.
2. Internal Communication
Use internal communication channels to create a friendly environment that praises positive role modeling
at the workplace and in the community by encouraging voluntarism, and mentoring, e.g., through
(a) Internal newsletters,
(b) Workplace posters in canteens and recreation rooms,
(c) Mailers, and
(d) Electronic mails.
3. External Communication
In relations with customers, vendors and others, consciously communicate affirming messages about
character and ethics, such as
(a) Advertise and market honoring consensual values (the six pillars),
(b) Assure that none of your products and services undermines character building,
(c) Include positive messages about voluntarism and celebrate, and
(d) ‘Character counts’ week in advertising, billings and other mailers.
20 A Textbook on Professional Ethics and Human Values

4. Financial and Human Resources

(a) Support local and national ‘character’ projects and the activities of the members by encouraging
staff members to get involved. Offer incentives such as paying employees for the time they
contribute at a local youth-service organization.
(b) Sponsor ‘character’ movement through financial support.
5. Community Outreach

(a) Use public outreach structures to encourage mentoring and other character-building programs.
(b) Encourage educational and youth organizations to become active in character building.
(c) Use corporate influence to encourage business groups (chambers of commerce, conference
boards, and Rotary clubs) and other companies to support ‘character’ building.

1.20 SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality is a way of living that emphasizes the constant awareness and recognition of the spiritual
dimension (mind and its development) of nature and people, with a dynamic balance between the
material development and the spiritual development. This is said to be the great virtue of Indian
philosophy and for Indians. Sometimes, spirituality includes the faith or belief in supernatural power/
God, regarding the worldly events. It functions as a fertilizer for the soil ‘character’ to blossom into
values and morals.
Spirituality includes creativity, communication, recognition of the individual as human being (as
opposed to a life-less machine), respect to others, acceptance (stop finding faults with colleagues and
accept them the way they are), vision (looking beyond the obvious and not believing anyone blindly),
and partnership (not being too authoritative, and always sharing responsibility with others, for better
returns).
Spirituality is motivation as it encourages the colleagues to perform better. Remember, lack of
motivation leads to isolation. Spirituality is also energy: Be energetic and flexible to adapt to challenging
and changing situations. Spirituality is flexibility as well. One should not be too dominating. Make
space for everyone and learn to recognize and accept people the way they are. Variety is the order of the
day. But one can influence their mind to think and act together. Spirituality is also fun. Working is
okay, but you also need to have fun in office to keep yourself charged up. Tolerance and empathy are
the reflections of spirituality. Blue and saffron colors are said to be associated with spirituality.
Creativity in spirituality means conscious efforts to see things differently, to break out of habits
and outdated beliefs to find new ways of thinking, doing and being. Suppression of creativity leads to
violence. People are naturally creative. When they are forced to crush their creativity, its energy turns
to destructive release and actions. Creativity includes the use of color, humor and freedom to enhance
productivity. Creativity is fun. When people enjoy what they do, it is involvement. They work much
harder.
1.20.1 Spirituality in the Workplace
Building spirituality in the workplace: Spirituality is promoted in the workplace by adhering to the
following activities:
1. Verbally respect the individuals as humans and recognize their values in all decisions and
actions.