Committed to helping promote ethical thinking and behavior in education, TWI offers both educators and students the opportunity to engage in ethical exploration in the classroom. TWI’s Communication, Leadership, Team Building, Critical Thinking and other programs can enrich the learning environment, as well as strengthen the educational culture of integrity at your school. For educators, we offer ethics training and resources to encourage ethical reflection and discourse throughout the learning environment. For students, we have developed ethics awareness programs.

Educators

TWI is passionate about providing educators at all levels useful and effective ethics-related tools to help you create classroom opportunities that give your students the awareness and skills for being more ethical decision makers. We are convinced that when students are given the means to think in ethical terms-when they are given the tools to think beyond themselves to the impact of their decisions on their relationships-this will create meaningful and lasting change in behavior.

Both in the classroom and in the workroom, teachers and administrators are faced with ethical choices throughout the day. TWI offers both training and teaching resources to help educators reach their goal of building more ethical learning environments.

TWI offers customized course and curriculum development for online and on ground campus courses in ethics, critical thinking, communication and other related disciplines. Whatever the length of the course, our expert in course developing will meet the educational needs of your program.

Students

Through our annual ethics essay contest, high school junior and seniors are presented with an ethical issue in society and then given a critical thinking process for reflection and classroom discussion. In addition, TWI has in development an interactive ethical decision making program called, Do What Is Right!, for elementary and middle school students.

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TRAINING

Even the most rational approach to ethics is defenseless if there isn’t the will to do what is right.
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Training that transforms

TWI’s training programs equip both teachers and administrators with the tools and skills to build a more positive and supportive ethical work environment. An ethical workplace is one that demonstrates strong evidence of encouraging communication about ethical concerns, respecting individual judgment, expecting integrity in performance, and enhancing trust and empowerment. Not for want of trying, many schools fall short on that evidence. However, a strong ethical cultural is not beyond reach through TWI’s in-service training programs.

Co-workers. Teams. Committees. Parents. Strong working relationships are important for a dynamic learning environment. TWI’s Transformative Ethics and Transformative Training programs give the materials and abilities for developing and nurturing those relationships. Whether the goal is encouraging the growth of leadership internally; building teams that creatively and effectively get results; communicating with the community to draw in help and support to achieve educational objectives; or creating the means to grow mutual trust and respect among co-workers and administrators, TWI has the training program that will meet that need.

Working with school and district administrators, TWI customizes our technical assistance and training to assist in reaching the goal of a transformative ethical learning environment. Using TWI’s Ethical Leadership in Organizational Cultures (ELOC) and Ethical Choices in the Workplace (ECW) assessment instruments, we identify where evidence of the components of an ethical culture are strong and weak. Then, we customize our Ethics and Transformative Training programs to build on those strengths and transform those areas identified for improvement.

Shared values, an understanding of ethical perspectives and decision making, and applying the tools for generating greater trust, respect, and relationship building communication are the foundation for a strong and lasting ethical learning environment.

For more information about TWI’s programs for education, contact Tom Rosella or call 480-517-1891.

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RESOURCES

Some people put more emphasis on being socially correct than morally right.
–Unknown

TWI offers several resources and learning tools to assist and support teachers interested in encouraging students to become aware of the importance of ethical thinking and behavior, and to provide teachers with the tools to better encourage ethical discourse in the classroom.

TWI’s ethics assessments are used nation-wide by teachers who want to bring ethics into the living level of their students’ lives. Self-identifying the ethical perspective a student uses when making personal ethical decisions, learning how to articulate the reasoning of that perspective, and applying a proven four-step ethical decision making process are part of the Ethics Awareness Inventory.

Ethics Awareness Inventory

The Ethics Awareness Inventory (EAI) helps individuals identify which of four ethical perspectives they tend to use when making personal ethical decisions and offers a process for making ethical decisions. Its use opens up dialogue in the classroom and moves discussion of how one might approach an ethical situation beyond the hypothetical to real application and self-reflection. The EAI has been used successfully in undergraduate and graduate business ethics courses, as well as in education and social science courses.

After I completed the Ethics Awareness Inventory^©, I felt that I gained insight into the complex world of ethics ... I think that as a society we often look at ethics through very narrow guidelines. I never understood that there were multiple ways of looking at ethical concerns.
- Graduate Student, Northern Arizona University

I would like to compliment the Williams Institute for the quality and value of the Ethics Awareness Inventory tool I am able to use in my Organizational Ethics and Social Responsibility class. It opens students’ eyes to critical thinking and an understanding of the concept of multiple viewpoints. We refer back to the CORE perspectives throughout the class as we delve into a variety of case studies, assignments, and when they ultimately prepare their final project that includes developing an ethics program for a business or organization.

I frequently have students tell me that when they started the class they thought they understood the concept of ethics. Upon finishing the class, they will comment that they never realized there was so much more to it and that there was more than one way to view an ethical dilemma to determine a resolution. I have found it to be an eye-opener that equips, empowers, and encourages them to make a difference in the world, starting within their immediate reach.
-James Delzer, Faculty - University of Phoenix

Preview the EAI

Ethical Choices in the Workplace

Ethical Choices in the Workplace (ECW) identifies four dimensions of ethical culture in the organization that are important qualities for productive and successful workplaces. The ECW is a great tool for involving students in understanding the characteristics that make a productive, ethical work environment. It can also be used to help students identify the type of workplace environment they would find most compatible with their own values when looking for a place to work.

Preview the ECW

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Guide to Ethical Awareness

The “Guide to Ethical Awareness: Using the EAI to Facilitate Discussion of Ethics in the Classroom” booklet for teachers provides background information on ethics and the four ethical perspectives presented in the EAI, as well as suggested learning objectives and discussion question. The information will help teachers keep the discussion focused on ethics.

Annual Ethics Essay Contest

The purpose of TWI’s Ethics Contest is to promote ethics in community by encouraging ethical awareness among high school students and ethical discourse in the classroom. The topics of the essay contest are written to provoke ethical thought and encourage critical thinking. The writing process leads the student from making a choice to stating a responsibility. The contest is also a way to provide scholarships to students and honoraria to teachers. For more information on the site.

Do What Is Right! (under development)

TWI’s Do What Is Right! (DWIR!) program meets an existing need in current character education programs by providing a tool for ethical decision making, age level appropriate, that can be used by students, teachers in the classroom and on the playground, and at home by parents. DWIR! is not an add-on program, as its program curriculum and learning objectives are tied to educational standards (such as language arts, critical thinking, and ethics) so that teachers are able to use the program and accomplish required educational goals at the same time.

DWIR! promotes ethical thinking, empathy and critical thinking in students, appropriate to age level, through use of a simple decision making process involving four questions that are the core of the program. These are: Who is affected by my choice? How are they affected? Why am I making this choice? Could I make a better choice?

DWIR! is an interactive learning experience with animation and language that is grade level appropriate. Each grade level will have a unique set of six ethical issue scenarios that builds on the previous grade level’s discussions. Each scenario will involve a selected value, such as caring, responsibility, trustworthiness, etc.

Upon completion of development and piloting of the program, TWI will provide, at minimal cost to schools, a set of ethics decision making programs for grades 1-8 available on DVD, with accompanying teacher and parent resource manuals. DWIR! will be compatible with, and offer a value-added to, existing character education programs currently used by schools.

For more information about TWI’s resources for education, email us or call 480-244-4677.

Empowering people to live better lives--providing the awareness and tools for making better life choices, especially ethical choices--is an important part of what TWI does and who we are. As a nonprofit we seek to partner with other nonprofits in two ways:

1. Providing training and technical assistance to help build ethical cultures essential for the success of nonprofit organizations. TWI offers programs that equip employees, leaders and volunteers with the skills crucial for serving the mission of the organization. TWI's programs in staff and board development, and client services, will bring to your organization greater effectiveness and deeper commitment to your vision of service.
2. Providing TWI’s highly successful Transformative Goals Realization^© program to support the important efforts of agencies working with clients in three Human Service areas: Kids at risk, families in crisis, and probation/parole sobriety residence programs. Our goal is to create partnerships for developing and encouraging the means for personal growth.

Training And Technical Assistance

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Nonprofit agencies and corporations exist based on trust and transparency. Your volunteers, contributors, staff, and even the public, choose to be associated with your agency and that choice depends on your agency’s ethics. A culture of integrity and ethics is an essential part of your ability to grow, to fulfill your mission.

Nonprofit leaders deal with many unique issues and concerns, most of them people and relationship related. Among them, they must build capacity under a variety of constraints; find innovative ways to problem solve and build teams, both staff and volunteer; communicate effectively with disparate stakeholders like boards, staff members, volunteers, potential contributors, and often the public; provide volunteers the communication skills that empower them effectively to share the mission in ways that create interest and generate commitment; and generate a work environment where morale is high, tasks are willingly and efficiently accomplished, and where people and relationships are respected.

Staff development programs in strategic planning, leadership, communication teambuilding and living the vision equip staff members with tools and skills to more effectively work toward accomplishing your agency’s mission. Programs designed for board development focus on governance, mission and vision, and leadership. In addition, TWI’s client-oriented programs offer your agency an important dimension to the agency’s work.

TWI’s Transformative Ethics training programs, customized to meet the specific needs of your nonprofit, will take your ethical environment to a new level of respect and trust. Our values-based ethics training programs provide the tools and skills that make that growth possible.

TWI's Transformative Training^©, is a suite of programs that empowers people and builds relationships using the Transformative Communication Model© as the core of its programs. The Transformative model is a powerful, innovative and highly successful tool for meeting the specific needs of your nonprofit. This suite of training programs includes Leadership, Team Building, Communication, and Customer Service.

For more information about TWI’s training programs, contact Tom Rosella or call 480-517-1891.

HUMAN SERVICES

The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Ethics is about people and relationships. Helping individuals to overcome adversity and to reach personal and relational potential— to value what they can accomplish and become the best they can be—has become an important part of TWI’s work. We have developed Goals Realization^© programs for three important areas of human services:

• Kids at risk
• Families in crisis, especially single mothers

Our goal is to offer these programs nationwide, providing them as an additional means for assisting worthwhile agencies in achieving their goals toward helping people make the most of their lives.

Kids at Risk

Many at-risk kids have never been given the opportunity to explore their future and develop their potential.

TWI’s Goals Realization^© program provides a fun and concise way to help them clarify their values and develop an action plan that drives them toward their goals—gaining the confidence and self-respect that personal accomplishment instills. The program has an initial four-hour session with several one-hour weekly follow-ups aimed at the needs and concerns of young people.

Families in Crisis

Direction. Competence. Focus. Goals Realization^© helps individuals and families create a positive vision for their future and develop an action plan that stabilizes self and family, moving them to independence and productivity. Individuals discover within themselves the means to set direction for life.

Through achieving the benchmarks in their plan, individuals are empowered to take greater personal responsibility for their actions and develop self-confidence and self-determination. As they progress through the process, they develop the focus that prevents them from slipping back into old habits and life styles. Confidence grows as milestones are met and small victories lead to life changing growth. Focused on the needs and concerns of women and families in crisis, the program has an initial four-hour session with several one-hour weekly follow-ups.

For more information contact Rodo Sofranec or call 480-517-1891.

What is the Transformative Goals Realization^© Program?

Transformative Goal Realization^© helps participants discover their purpose and passion through the insights, self-knowledge and personal tools presented and reinforced through the program's eight sessions. Individuals unlock what holds them back from reaching their full potential and learn to apply tools that will get them going into their future. Kids, parents and others, learn how to succinctly put together a plan to accomplish their goals and then implement that plan, one small step at a time. The program empowers participants to embrace a future through sense of accomplishment, the self-respect of personal responsibility and the personal authority that results from accountability.

Structure is critical for people whose lives are in crisis. Goals Realization^© not only provides the structure, but also the process for creating the critical life changes that are necessary for a positive future.

Donate to help kids and families explore their future and meet their potential.

Giving the tools that others can use to better their own lives is life altering. TWI’s goal is to bring, as free as possible, the training and materials of these important, life changing, programs to organizations and agencies across the county. If you share TWI’s passion for helping young people, families and individuals reach their potential, please contribute to a program and help us help others.

You can help by donating now, here.

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Transparency. Social Responsibility. Ethics. Transformation. Hot topics in business today—but, just the flavor of the month or essential values of your organization’s culture of integrity? That is, a culture of productivity, great morale, personal satisfaction, mutual trust and respect, loyalty and high reputation for ethical behavior. The answer depends on leadership’s vision and goals; on employee’s ethical awareness and decision making ability; but, ultimately, it depetnds on how the organization lives out its understanding of what it takes to have a culture of integrity

Having a culture of integrity goes beyond conforming to what is prescribed , or meeting the legal minimum. In the movie, The Company Men, we see an instructive example of the difference – “…a higher standard.” Click here to see a video clip.

A drop of ethical value starts a ripple of change.

What does it take to live out a culture of integrity? Four profound things: First, recognizing that ethics is about people and relationships; second, recognizing that ethics is about taking personal responsibility for choices made; third, empowering people to prioritize their ethical values; and fourth, equipping leadership and employees with the tools and skills to build and nourish an ethical culture. It begins with this: A small drop of ethical value starts a ripple of change and influence. And, it grows to this: a transformed company that is respected and profitable.

An ethics program that exists on paper but never in the hearts, minds, and actions of the organization’s employees creates a breeding ground for violations.
- "Ethical Culture Building" - A report by The Ethics Resource Center – 2008

Reliance on Compliance for Conforming to an Ethical Culture

For the past several decades, more and more companies have relied on writing ever more detailed Codes of Conduct, Policies and Compliance programs to enforce ethical behavior. The idea here is that an effective compliance system will generate a desire to act appropriately and responsibly. This leads to ethics training that is about conforming people to the codes and policies to achieve compliance. We call this Conformative Ethics.

The continued reliance on an ever increasing number of written prescriptions for driving behavior, or punitive actions for failing to adhere to those prescriptions, has not led to fewer ethical failures. In fact, in most circumstances, little has changed. This means of control often has minimum impact on positive ethical behavior. To the contrary, as more rules are generated, the more people respond negatively to them. The same issues resurface year after year. As Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” How insane is your ethics program?

Conformative vs. Transformative Approach to Behavior

A different approach to organizational training that achieves “different results” is available —Transformative Ethics. This approach affirms that standards, policies, manuals and codes of conduct are necessary, both legally and practically, but are not sufficient for managing risk related to behavior. People, relationships, personal responsibility, and accountability are ultimately what ethics is about. Employees taking ownership of their choices, being equipped with the tools to make good ethical choices to build mutual trust, and employees being empowered to use their judgment are the means to transform attitudes and behavior that build a culture of integrity.

The chart below shows the difference between the two approaches to ethics training.

Culture of Integrity

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

A culture of integrity is built upon a foundation of skills, tools and ethical awareness that support the ethical culture of a company. The soundness of that ethical structure is evidenced by the ability of people to communicate about ethical concerns, the perception of mutual trust and empowerment, a perceived respect for individual judgment, and an expectation of integrity in performance. Building a culture of integrity starts with prioritizing a relational approach to ethical behavior and then providing the training that equips employees and leadership to make that culture possible.

Transformative Ethics Programs

The TWI approach to ethics is simple: Ethics is about people, relationships and taking personal responsibility for the choices we make. We refer to this as Transformative Ethics because we each have the ability to transform our relationships and our organizations by the ethical choices we make. The TWI Ethics programs move individuals from reacting out of an emotional response to situations, to empowering them to choose to act through reasoned responses to situations and then proactively communicate that choice. This is the beginning of the building of a Culture of Integrity that has the ability to transform people and organizations with an easy to understand and implement process. It provides the tools that demonstrate how to make better decisions.

• Transformative Ethics - Building Trust Through Values Based Decision Making
• Leadership: Building an Ethical Culture
• Ethical Awareness: The Choice Is Yours

Transformative Training^© Programs

TWI offers a unique and practical communication process, applicable across all facets of a company, that is embedded in the training curriculum of our Transformative Training^© programs. This process generates a common language that greatly enhances understanding and trust with both internal and external customers. The knowledge, skills and tools learned through our values-driven customized programs provide a powerful process for developing skills that improve performance for businesses.

Effective Communication is vital in business today if organizations expect to meet their customer’s expectations and grow their business. An essential tool of Leadership is empowerment that great leaders use to exponentially improve their effectiveness. Important elements of leadership that create great companies today are Coaching and Team Building and great leaders of organizations today realize that transformation and empowerment are important. It is more important today than ever before for a company to have excellent Customer Service if they are to succeed. Our society is no longer willing to accept less.

Transformative Training^© offers a suite of programs for businesses that develop skills to improve performance in:

• Leadership
• Customer service
• Sales
• Coaching
• Communication
• Team building
• Goals realization

Each of these programs is specifically customized to meet your needs and focus on the areas you would like to improve in your organization. By adopting multiple programs, organizations develop a common modality and language to improve communication in your organization. Below are examples of industries where TWI’s Training has been successfully implemented:

Healthcare - TWI has several powerful programs that are customized to and applies specifically to healthcare. The training materials and programs address issues that healthcare professional managers face on a daily basis: motivation, coaching, dealing with difficult people, having tough conversations, leading a diverse team, and other critical leadership skills. Service is the key to a successful healthcare organization. The TWI training programs instill skills and attitudes that focus on both external and internal customers. Healthcare organizations will be more successful by providing quality customer service through servant leadership and fostering an ethical culture where everyone in the organization is focused on providing the best healthcare possible for their community.

Insurance - The insurance industry is in a constant state of change, offering several challenges for leaders and insurance professionals. TWI has worked with a number of major insurance companies to provide leadership training, as well as customer service, sales and coaching training. Our ethics training is particularly effective because of the focus on decision making and accountability.

Finance and Accounting - From credit unions and banks to major accounting firms, the TWI’s training materials and programs have been successfully implemented to increase performance and enhance the skills of leaders, producers and administrators. TWI’s Transformative Ethics model stresses personal responsibility and decision making. Participants learn to determine what is right, care deeply about what is right and do what is right. This suite of courses are designed and customized to focus on areas that are specific to the needs of your organization and employees.

For more information about TWI's ethics and VALUES programs contact Tom Rosella or call 480-244-4677.

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Ethics...citizens expect this. They look for transparency, accountability, respect, and effectiveness in the people who serve. Sometimes it is not as apparent as we might hope and expect. It's not for lack of trying—good people want to serve well--but more for lack of effective ethical decision making skills. At the federal, state, county and local level, TWI is working with departments, agencies and courts to equip leaders and employees with the tools and knowledge that build and strengthen a values-driven culture of integrity in their organizations.

In addition, professional associations like the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) and the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) have certified our ethics programs. Our innovative, values-based approach to training and technical assistance transforms people and agencies.

Training

Without civic morality communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value.
– Bertrand Russell

David and James meet with Terry Gainer, US Senate Sergeant at Arms.

TWI has conducted customized ethics and leadership training programs for federal, state and local government and public agencies. At the federal level, TWI has provided executive leadership training to US Senate Sergeant at Arms managers and ethics training to US District Court personnel from Chiefs to clerical. At the state and local levels, TWI has conducted ethics and values-driven leadership and communication training programs to probation and court personnel, law enforcement agencies, Arizona tribal gaming regulators, and other agencies to provide the understanding and skills that build solid ethical cultures and develop empowered and successful leadership.

American Probation and Parole Association

The APPA is working hard to be a “force for positive change” in the communities served by its members and affiliates. TWI supports this goal as a corporate member of the APPA. To facilitate this effort, the APPA and TWI have partnered to provide the justice community with accredited training programs in ethical decision making, leadership, communication, team building, client relations, and more. These programs equip individuals and agencies with the tools and skills that are essential for building the relationships that support being that “force for positive change” in the community.

TWI is a participant in both the APPA’s Annual Conference and Winter Training Institute. In addition, TWI will be providing ethics training in the APPA Leadership Institute in February. For more information about TWI’s APPA accredited training programs, or to bring one of these programs to your agency, e-mail us or all 480-244-4677.

Coming to APPA soon. TWI will be introducing a new special APPA edition of TWI’s book, Communicating with VALUES, A Seamless Process to Improve Personal and Organizational Effectiveness. This edition includes a new chapter written by APPA Executive Director, Carl Wicklund, and will be introduced at the APPA Winter Institute in San Diego in February. Proceeds from the sale of this edition will benefit APPA.

Courts, Probation and Parole

The pressures on court, probation and pretrial personnel in the current culture and environment are horrendous. It is easy, under current workloads, for probation and pretrial professionals to become disengaged and cynical. Dealing with ever increasing case loads and less time to properly address client issues can create a tense and stressful work environment.

TWI's ethics programs such as Transformative Ethics, Building Trust Through Values Based Decision Making, build skills that are a force for positive change. Participants are reminded of the vital role they play in our society and the responsibility they have to help others. They develop skills that are critical for ethical decision making in the office and in the field. These skills can be shared with offenders and colleagues.

Teaming up with local court and probation training personnel, such as both courts and adult probation of the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, TWI is conducting Transformative Communication© and Transformative Leadership© programs on an on-going basis. These programs are customized to provide the skills and knowledge identified as meeting the needs of each department.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement professionals understand that "conformative ethics," i.e. teaching and enforcing codes of conduct, standards and laws, does not keep their officers and leaders from serious ethical violations. Studies show that the main issues where law enforcement fails are exactly the same as they were 20 years ago…

However, TWI's "transformative ethics" goes beyond codes and standards bringing personal awareness, accountability, integrity and decision making that makes a difference. The ethics program, From Fear to Trust: New Ethical Strategies in Law Enforcement, is a powerful, life changing program that causes participants to examine themselves and be prepared to make those ethical decisions that are thrust on them every day.

Transformative Leadership© provides important tools for transforming law enforcement agencies and empowering personnel to help strengthen and build a culture of integrity. Both sworn and civilian employees benefit greatly from this program. Using TWI's powerful assessments, participants get an inside view of not only their personal ethical perspective and how they approach ethical decisions, but also see how they and others in their agency assess the values of the organization that are critical for success.

To learn more about TWI’s programs, e-mail Tom Rosella or call 480-244-4677.

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