PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (global context/use)

Professionally accepted standards of personal and business behavior, values and guiding principles. Codes of
Professional Ethics are often established by professional organizations to help guide members in
Performing their job functions according to sound and consistent ethical principles.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/professional-ethics.html
For the academic journal entitled "Professional Ethics"

Professional ethics encompasses some personal, and corporate standards of behavior expected by professionals. The
word professionalism originally applied to vows of a religious order. By at least the year 1675, the term had seen
secular application and was applied to the three learned professions: Divinity, Law, and Medicine. The term
professionalism was also used for the military profession around this same time.
Professionals and those working in acknowledged professions exercise specialist knowledge and skill. How the use of
this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public can be considered a moral issue and is
termed professional ethics.
It is capable of making judgments, applying their skills, and reaching informed decisions in situations that the general
public cannot because they have not attained the necessary knowledge and skills.
Many professional organizations may define their ethical approach in terms of a number of discrete
components. Typically these include the following vital values:
1. Honesty 4. Accountability 7. Respect
2. Integrity 5. Confidentiality 8. Obedience to the law
3. Transparency 6. Objectivity 9. Loyalty

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_ethics
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS.
A brief definition of what is meant by professional ethics has been described. In addition, some concepts and
readings on the history of what is meant by a profession may present differing ways to think about professional
ethics and a brief analysis of what is meant by professional responsibility.
I. What is a Profession? (Historical View)
a. "Profess": a public declaration, vow on entering a religious order. a commitment (vows) to serve for a good
end.
b. 16th century: commitment to learned pursuits (three learned professions are divinity, law, and medicine, then
the military); being an authority on a body of knowledge, belonging to an occupation; being skilled, being a
fractioned, not an amateur.
c. 19th century (late): "New professions have come into existence, and the old professions are more esteemed"
(Oxford English Dictionary)
An Occupational Group...
a. Delivers important services
b. Makes a commitment to serve the public
c. Claims a special relationship to the marketplace, not merely in the rough and tumble; distinguished from a
trade.
An Occupational Group Becomes Professional...
a. When group of individuals sharing the same occupation organize to work in a morally permissible way, or to
work to support a moral ideal. (i.e. Doctors organize to cure the sick, librarians organize to promote access to
information, etc.)
b. Members set and follow special standards for carrying on their occupational work.
* At least one of these standards must go beyond what law, the marketplace, ordinary morality (what a
ordinary moral person must do) and public opinion demand. (i.e. a good mercenary only needs to fulfill the
terms of his contract, a good, professional soldier must serve his country honorably, even when ordinary
morality, law, and public opinion do not require it.)
* These special standards are morally binding to “professed” members of the profession. If a member freely
declares (or professes) herself to be part of a profession, she is voluntarily implying that she will follow these
special moral codes. If the majority of members of a profession follow the standards, the profession will have a
good reputation and members will generally benefit; if the majority of members violate these voluntary
standards, professed members of a profession will be at a disadvantage or at the least receive no benefit from
declaring a profession.
2. What (Who) is a Professional?
A member of an occupational group (characterized above) who:
a. Sees other members, including those employed elsewhere, as peers/colleagues
b. Exercises judgment in the performance of occupational tasks and follows relevant professional standards.
c. Accepts the profession's agreement to work in a morally permissible way (often expressed as a code of ethics)
as determining in part the obligations of the role.
***
Additional Notes
TEN (10) GOLDEN RULES TO PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE
Professionalism is the conduct, aims or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or professional person; it
implies quality of workmanship or service. Every organization knows that a professional reputation is the
difference between success and failure and they seek to keep their most professional staff.
Professionalism is all about success and influence; having a reputation for excellence and being thought of as
someone who exhibits professionalism under any circumstances can open doors for you either in the workplace or
in your personal ambition.
Professionalism is highly valued by every organization today and professionals are hardly out of work. Apply the
ten (10) golden rules of professionalism and enjoy a wonderful, professional and prosperous career.

The following are the ten (10) golden rules to being professional in service to your organization:
1. Always strive for excellence; this is the first rule to achieving greatness in whatever endeavor you undertake
this is the quality that makes you and your work stand-out. Excellence is a quality of service which is unusually
good and so surpasses ordinary standards, it should be made a habit for it to make a good impression on your
bosses and colleagues.
2. Be trustworthy; in today’s society trust is an issue and any employee who exhibits trustworthiness is on a fast
track to professionalism. Trustworthiness is about fulfilling an assigned task and as an extension- not letting
down expectations, it is been dependable, and reliable when called upon to deliver a service. In order to earn
the trust of your bosses and colleagues, worth and integrity must be proven over time.
3. Be accountable; to be accountable is to stand tall and be counted for what actions you have undertaken, this
is the blameworthiness and responsibility for your actions and its consequences- good or bad.
4. Be courteous and respectful; courteousness is being friendly, polite and well-mannered with a gracious
consideration towards others. It makes social interactions in the workplace run smoothly, avoid conflicts and
earn respect. Respect is a positive feeling of esteem or deference for a person or organization; it is built over
time and can be lost with one stupid or inconsiderate action. Continued courteous interactions are required to
maintain or increase the original respect gained.
5. Be honest, open and transparent; honesty is a facet of moral character that connotes positive and virtuous
attributes such as truthfulness, straightforwardness of conduct, loyalty, fairness, sincerity, openness in
communication and generally operating in a way for others to see what actions are being performed. This is a
virtue highly prized by employers and colleagues, for it builds trust and increases your personal value to all.
6. Be competent and improve continually; competence is the ability of an individual to do a job properly, it is a
combination of knowledge, skills and behavior used to improve performance. Competency grows through
experience and to the extent one is willing to learn and adapt. Continuous self-development is a pre-requisite
in offering professional service at all times.
7. Always be ethical; ethical behavior is acting within certain moral codes in accordance with the generally
accepted code of conduct or rules. It is always safe for an employee to “play by the rules”. This is always the
best policy and in instances the rule book is inadequate, acting with a clear moral conscience is the right way
to go. This may cause friction in some organizations but ethical organizations will always stand by the right
moral decisions and actions of their employees.
8. Always be honorable and act with integrity; honorable action is behaving in a way that portrays “nobility of
soul, magnanimity, and a scorn of meanness” which is derived from virtuous conduct and personal integrity.
This is a concept of “wholeness or completeness” of character in line with certain values, believes, and
principles with consistency in action and outcome.
9. Be respectful of confidentiality; confidentiality is respecting the set of rules or promise that restricts you from
further and unauthorized dissemination of information. Over the course of your career, information will be
passed on to you in confidence – either from the organization or from colleagues- and it is important to be
true to such confidences. You gain trust and respect of those confiding in you and increase your influence
within the organization.
10. Set good examples; applying the foregoing rules helps you improve your professionalism within your
organization but it is not complete until you impact knowledge on those around and below you. You must
show and lead by good example. Being a professional is about living an exemplary live within and without the
organization.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140831053426-77080879-10-golden-rules-to-professional-ethics
Meo/4/22/18

But YOUR PERSONALITY CAN BE IMPROVED TO A HEALTHY PERSONALITY.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON MAINTAINING A HEALTHY PERSONALITY:
1. Think and feel pleasant about YOUSELF (when possible always).
2. Be conscious of the OTHER or be sensitive of the presence of others at all times.
3. Assume that others like you of what you are, say or do. Never think of negative response from people before
you do any move. People respond warmly if you show warm, positive atmosphere.
 4. Admit your defects or mistakes gracefully without griping over them.
5. Remember what you have learned on Social Graces and observe good manners and proper decorum at all
times. Be courteous/respectful always regardless of who people are.
6. Admire your friends and show that they are valuable to you. Be pleasant at all times.
7. Associate with people who are successful and happy. Seek the company of others who can give you bright
ideas, positive points of views, new hopes for a better life.
8. Attend social gatherings and perceive people wholesomely.
9. Make the most of every opportunity given or offered to you. Don’t grumble.
10. Change your environment occasionally, the arrangement of home/office furniture for a variety.
11. Have a pleasant scenario of yourself. It adds cheerfulness.

OR
AVOIDING PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
1. Deal and cope with stress through crisis management techniques and strategies.
2. Look at the bright side of life
3. Overcome your weaknesses and inadequacies.
4. Learn to know more about yourself and cultivate that which is good in you.
5. Believe in yourself.
6. Accept the responsibility that is placed in your shoulders or that which is given to you.
7. Avoid too high standard that you can not achieve.
8. Keep busy mentally and physically at your best opportune time but never to the excess.
9. Have determination in resolving yor problems in life.
10. Do what you preach and teach.
11. Learn to recognize and appreciate the good deeds of others.
12. Never have a “crab mentality syndrome.”
13. Avoid intrigues and rumor mongering talks. If there is nothing good in the conversation, keep silent.
14. Develop a pleasant and favorable mental health.
MOREOVER, HERE ARE SIMPLE WAYS IN IMPROVING YOUR OWN PERSONALITY:
1. Know Thyself. List them and review your good points and maintain them; while your weak points, improve
them.
2. Be optimistic. Learn to look at the bright side of your life. Be appreciative of others in a spontaneous manner.
3. Be genuinely interested in others. Cultivate good relationship with people whom you interact with. Emulate
what is good in others and consistently do actions. It is good to be non-vocal yet, to be used appropriately.
4. Be realistic in your goals. Know your limits. Plan activities with your priorities for action and attainment.
5. Learn to accept failures. Life is not always bed of roses. What is important is that you realize mistakes and try
correcting them without blaming others for the wrongdoings.
6. Strive for emotional balance and maturity. Think, act and feel maturely pr that is considered fitting to the
situation. Remember it is not the quantity but the quality of finding solutions to problems in realistic ways.
7. Cultivate a good sense of humor. Learn to laugh at your own mistakes. After all, no one is perfect. “Smile and
the world will smile with you,” “Laughter is a cathartic and good medicine.”
8. Create a pleasant panorama of your life. Remember those experiences that make you happy and note down
those pleasant effects that soothes the soul.
9. Strive for a healthy physical, mental and emotion being. A sound mind thrives in a sound body and a sound
mind-body makes a wholesome personality
10. Have a continuous and sincere relationship with God. Be a prayerful person, constantly talking, praising,
thanking and asking blessings or spiritual guidance from Him at all times, being mindful of, attuning self with
His other creatures in the world.
***

THE CONCEPT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE? Daniel Goleman defines emotional intelligence as:

o Knowing what you are feeling, being able to handle those feelings without having them swamp you
o Being able to motivate yourself to get the jobs done, be creative and perform at your peak
o Sensing what others are feeling and handling relationships effectively
o “A different way of being SMART”

Five components of the Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

 Self-awareness: Knowing your feelings as you have them
Thought and feeling in decision making and the key role of gut feeling in rational decision
 Managing Moods: Soothing anxiety, cheering yourself-up, handling anger effectively and carefully
Emotional distress shrinks working memory, and diminishes the ability to think clearly and learn well
Mood management flow, and managing the state of optimal performance with anxiety
 Motivation: Hope and optimism in the face of setbacks and frustration
Optimism and persistence despite rejection: the case of optimistic sales trainees.
  Empathy: Reading unstated emotional cues
The role of empathy in caring, civility and smooth interactions
The uses of empathy of empathy in good marriage and good manager (the art of critique), negotiation
 Social Skill: Managing emotions in a relationship (social relationships)
The emotional economy and the consumer loyalty

STRATEGIES IN HANDLING ONE’S OWN EMOTIONS and How to BECOME EMOTIONALLY MATURE:

1. Self-Awareness: What to do…. 4. .Empathy: What to do….

- improve in recognizing and identifying
emotions
- understand the causes of emotions
- recognize the difference between feelings
and actions
2. Harnessing Emotions Productively
What to do….
- be responsible
- focus on the task at hand and pay attention
- take time to control emotions and not to be
impulsive
- improve on any achievement performance
3. Motivation: What to do….
- be hopeful and optimism in the face of
setbacks and frustration
- be optimism and persistence despite
rejection: the case of optimistic sales trainees
- take the other person’s perspective (if you were the one)
- improve your sense of sensitivity to the needs of others
- be a good listener
- show genuineness and consistency in your words and actions
- practice empathic gestures and expressions
5. Managing Emotions: What to do….
- employ better frustration tolerance and effective anger
management
- have fewer verbal sarcasm, fights or disruptions of work of
others (avoid situations that tempt people to become sarcastic)
- express anger appropriately without aggression or fighting
- avoid self-destructive behaviors
- have positive thoughts about self, family , friends and school
- handle stress properly
- try to have fewer complaints about your behavior from others
- be happy with others
- minimize social anxiety

To summarize, IQ can be when COMPARED WITH EQ as in the following ( DIFFERENCES AND RELATIONS):
1. People who are socially-skilled emerge as the stars in their field, outshining others of comparable IQ
2. High emotional intelligence is often the key factor in success, those with high IQ often wind up working for people of middling or
even low intelligence
3. High IQ makes a good English professor, adding high EQ makes a chair of the English Department
4. High IQ makes a good sociologist of marriage, high EQ makes a happy marriage
5. High IQ makes a valedictorian, high EQ makes a president of Student body
6. High IQ makes a brilliant fiscal analyst, high EQ makes a popular consultant
7. High IQ needs time to study a psychiatric theory, high EQ means no need of a psychiatrist
8. High IQ makes a legal scholar, high EQ makes a brilliant trial lawyer

SUGGESTED TIPS FOR GOOD SOCIAL RELATIONS AS BASICALLY AS THE INDICATIONS OF HIGH EQ
1. increase ability to understand others and their situation
2. have skills in communicating your ideas, thoughts and feelings
3. show concern, care and consideration
4. choose to share, help or cooperate with others
5. avoid judgmental and sweeping statements avoid behaviors of others
6. try to help solve conflicts or negotiate for others
7. strive to be friendly and accommodating
8. promote harmony and pro-social behaviors in the group
9. allow others to express ideas or opinions without inhibitions
10. exert effort to contribute to build and not to destroy relationship
11. apply the various group-tasks and maintenance behaviors

***

GOOD LUCK AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK EVERYONE!

MEO/Compiled/Updated 4/22/18