Ethics - A message from the Grand Lake Chapter of CPCU

Mon, 04/20/2015 - 10:12
by Penny J Duer, CPCU, AINS, API, CPIW

Do your principles line up with your behavior?  Abraham Lincoln described character as the tree and reputation as the shadow.  Your character is what you really are; your reputation is what people think of you.  Michael Josephson gives us 12 Ethical Principles for Business Executives.  Let’s review 3 of them:

  1. HONESTY. Be honest in ALL communications and actions.  As you communicate to others today, either verbally or electronically, ask yourself, am I being candid and forthright? We should not deliberately mislead or deceive by partial truths and selective omissions.
     
  2. INTEGRITY. Maintain personal integrity. This often requires moral courage, the inner strength to do the right thing. Do not sacrifice principle for expediency.
     
  3. PROMISE-KEEPING. Keep promises and fulfill commitments. Make every reasonable effort to fulfill the letter and spirit of your promises and commitments and don’t rationalize or create justifications to escape them.

Let’s live according to our CPCU pledge to strive to live by the highest standards of professional conduct.

You can read more about the Josephson Institute at http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/blog/2010/12/12-ethical-principles-for-business-executives/

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Ethical principles should be our mantra every day.  Let’s review 3 more Ethical Principles for Business Executives Michael Josephson encourages us to live by:

  1. RESPECT FOR OTHERS. Treat everyone with respect. We have all heard about the Golden Rule, striving to treat others the way they would like to be treated. Ethical leaders demonstrate respect for the human dignity, privacy, rights and interests of all those who have a stake in their decisions.
     
  2. COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. Pursue excellence all the time in all things. No matter what you do, constantly endeavor to increase your proficiency in all areas of responsibility…at home and at work.
     
  3. ACCOUNTABILITY. Be accountable. Accept personal accountability for the ethical quality of your decisions.

As we end the month of March and our Ethics reminders, we must remember that success must be regulated by core ethical principles.  President Theodore Roosevelt said, “To educate the mind without the morals is to educate a menace to society.”

Check out the Josephson Institute at http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/blog/2010/12/12-ethical-principles-for-business-executives/ for more information.  You might also like to read “What is Character” at http://whatwillmatter.com/2011/11/commentary-what-is-character-751-2/.  Also feel free to LIKE their official FaceBook page Character Counts!

Strive to live everyday upholding a standard of honor and integrity!


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