Ethical Leadership - The experience of JCU's 3rd IBD cohort

Our Class Code of Ethics

HONESTY IN COMMUNICATION

 Requires a good faith intent to be truthful, accurate, straightforward, and fair in all communications so that persons are not misled or deceived. Honesty in communication requires: 

   Truthfulness

                Requires the good faith intent to tell the truth.

   Sincerity

We will not create beliefs or impressions that are untrue, misleading, or deceptive, including half-truths, and out-of-context statements.

   Candor

In relationships involving legitimate expectations of trust, candor requires the obligation to volunteer information that the other person needs or wants to know.

 

HONESTY IN CONDUCT

 

Prohibits stealing, cheating, fraud, deception, and other forms of dishonesty or trickery to acquire anything of value.  Never ask others to do something that would be prohibited by this Code.

 

INTEGRITY

 

Integrity refers to consistency between principle and practice. Integrity requires us to treat our beliefs about right and wrong as ground rules of behavior and decision-making. It requires us to walk our talk and make decisions consistent with our values, especially our ethical values. Integrity speaks to the character of an individual. There are two aspects to integrity:

 

   Principled

Involves the elevation of principle over expediency or self-interest and requires a consistency between words and actions.

   Moral Courage

Requires us to do what is right even when it is likely to cost us. It occasionally requires us to stand up and be counted, to fight for our beliefs to demonstrate the courage of our convictions.

 

OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS MEMBERS OF THE COHORT

 

As members of the cohort we are expected to behave honestly and with integrity in all of our practices. We are obligated to read and understand our Ethical and Legal Conduct Guidelines and we are expected to comply with both its letter and spirit and help others do the same. Of great importance to the success of our efforts is each individual’s responsibility to be proactive, raise questions, issues, or concerns to appropriate personnel when ethical or legal dilemmas arise. If asked to lend our expertise or knowledge to matters under review, it is expected we will cooperate fully, confidentially, and to the best of our ability.

 

 

 

 

OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS LEADERS

 

While all members of the cohort are to act with honesty and integrity, cohort leaders are expected to exemplify the highest standards of ethical conduct and encourage discussion of the ethical and legal implications of business decisions. A leader’s responsibility include creating and sustaining a work environment in which students, instructors, and guests know that ethical and legal behavior is expected of them. Such an environment requires open and honest two-way communications and being alert to indications that unethical or illegal conduct has occurred. At all times, leaders are to advance ethically and legally, the interests of the cohort. This includes advancing questions related to the interpretation of the guidelines, consulting with designated ethical and legal support personnel when dealing with possible guideline violations and taking appropriate action when it is determined that violations may have occurred.

 

Our responsibility as leaders also entails the cohort to constantly strive for the advancement of the IBD program as well as ourselves.  As leaders, it is imperative that we set an example for others throughout John Carroll University and our communities.  Through our Code of Ethics, we as leaders, take responsibility to confidently make ethical decisions so that we can succeed on our merits.

 

A SIMPLE TEST FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

 

If you are not certain that your actions are proper, a simple way to check is to ask yourself the following questions:

 

How would I feel if my family or friends knew of my actions?

Would I behave differently if I knew my actions would be reported on the evening news?

Does this meet the “treat others as you would like to be treated” test?

 

If the treat of public scrutiny makes you squirm, then your conscience is saying something important. Pay attention. You’re playing with something that could tarnish a reputation—your and your cohorts.