Nothing is more important to an organization than effective communication. The quality of vertical communication in an organization will, to a great extent, determine the level of the organization’s success. Often the message that is being communicated by leadership is not the message being received by others throughout the organization. The ethical stance of an organization’s leaders is continually communicated through the processes and strategies used to conduct the daily operations of the organization. The intentions, actions, and behaviors of individuals who are in decision-making positions provide the guiding principles, or policy, behind every rule and regulation. An organization’s authenticity is measured by its commitment to develop an environment that is affirmative, constructive, and creative. Its culture is demonstrated by a willingness to participate in continuous reflective assessment of the conditions that define the organization’s ethical perspective and values. The new environment of the 21st century calls us to better understand the dynamics of organizational ethics and to assess the impact of inconsistencies between corporate policy and individual thought.
The Williams Institute for Ethics and Management has created a 360° evaluation using an assessment called Ethical Choices in the Workplace©. It has been designed to assist individuals in the development of a deeper understanding of the relationship between corporate values and individual success. The assessment measures:
- Evidence of openness and commitment to ethical communication
- Evidence of respect for individual judgment
- Evidence of organizational integration of ethics and performance integrity
- Evidence of individual trust and empowerment
- The organizational environment (Transparency and integrity of the organizational environment, rejection of bureaucratic rigidity, commitment to social responsibility and ethical stance of organizational leaders)
Here is how the 360° evaluation works:
The assessment can be taken by any number of people, large or small, company wide or by department. While the assessment is taken anonymously, each person is asked to complete a brief demographic survey that identifies their level in the organization (Senior Leadership, Middle Management, Supervisor, Staff, Line, etc), gender, race, education level, etc. The results are analyzed to determine if perceptions are the same across all demographics regarding the effectiveness of ethical communication identified in the assessment. If there are problem areas uncovered by the assessment, The Williams Institute has training programs entitled Communicating With VALUES© customized to specifically address issues identified in every level of the organization.
For a free preview of Ethical Choices in the Workplace© or more information on Communicating With VALUES©, Contact James Young at j.young@ethics-twi.org.