The Importance of Ethics Training in Leadership

 


    In order for an organization to establish and maintain an ethical culture that is both encouraging and educating to its new members, as well as reinforcing organizational beliefs to existing members, it is important for that organization to continue to cultivate ethical training. To accomplish this organizational goal of a continuing ethical education, leadership must adhere to certain principles. 

    During ethics training, leadership should focus upon the unique ethical problems that are typically present within the organization.  Regardless of the organization, it will have its own diverse mixture of groups that face challenges, which are unique to that specific organization. In this way, making members of the organization aware of potential ethical pitfalls, which others have encountered along with problems that could potentially present itself allows the members to mentally rehearse these situations beforehand and be better prepared to navigate these waters. 

    To better engage participants in ethical education training create a scenario in which the trainees become the trainer. Encourage input from members during the training sessions. The goal is to establish scenarios where the members present and describe ethical dilemmas, while the group works through the correct course of action together. Creating this environment of ethical education training, allows for the participant members to instruct each other. Additionally, members gain a stakeholder share of the training as they effort to gain a deeper understanding and become emotionally invested in the effectiveness of the ethics education. Establish a training culture which you are the facilitator of both small and large groups in order to actively engage member participants while engaging in topics which will illicit emotional responses from the participants. Finally, make certain that the training can be accomplished in a variety of teaching strategies where online tools are used to augment training and not be the driving force behind it. 

    Leadership must reinforce the organizations ideology and ethical standards during training sessions with the participants. Its vital that organizational leadership highlight the core values along with its commitment to inclusion. At this point engage the participating members with specific people and actions of ethical leadership which can be examples of the organizational ethical model. Telling stories about hero's of ethical leadership reinforces the ethical standard which the organization will endeavor to mirror through the future actions of the participants of the training session. On a final note, ethics training should not be looked at as a stand alone training session. A more effective way to ensure positive consequences of ethics training is for leadership to mix ethics training throughout all elements of the overall initial and continuing organizational training of its members. 

    I'd love to hear any suggestions or comments pertaining to ethics training. Whether you agree, disagree, or simply have something you think needs added to this post feel free to comment below. Additionally, what experiences have you had both positive or negative with ethics training in your organization.  

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