The Ethics of Trust: Part II

 

 

I am so pleased to welcome back my guest blogger Marcy Maslov who shares Part II of her insights on business ethics and  trust in the workplace. The office is a jungle. Make sure you are armed with integrity or the e-Factor Game.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 by Marcy J Maslov

One of the very first ethical decisions we make in business (and in life) is whether or not we can trust someone.  In this process of deciding to trust or not, we sum up a person’s character and then create a label according to our own experience, background, and beliefs.  After we create the label we then determine how we will interact with that person: Will we share information or withhold it?  Will we collaborate or do the work on our own?  Will we accept that person’s work or point fingers if mistakes are made? The decision to trust or not determines how much or how little we share about ourselves and engage with others.

 

We do all of this so quickly that most times we don’t even realize we are doing it.  Once our own judgment is made, it is very difficult for us to change our opinion.  We don’t look beneath the labels we’ve assigned to see a person’s true strengths, weaknesses, or hidden talents.  We rarely give second chances for people to change our opinion of them, and we seem to be surprised when we learn about a skill or talent that was not originally apparent or consistent.

Uncomfortable with this discussion?  You're not alone.  As we work with clients, colleagues and workshops participants we are constantly amazed at the "aha" moment of learning about the people we’ve “known” for years and thought we understood.  And what was the "aha" lesson?  That a person’s label “determines” our perception of his or her capabilities!  That our ability to trust a person depends on the label we assign subconsciously.  That the way we perceive a person depends on how they portray themselves and we pick up on that energy without even realizing it. 

Now I’m not going to point fingers and ask you whether you’re guilty of labeling people.  Instead, my question is this:  What hidden talents are You hiding from others that might benefit your organization or yourself?  Take a moment to think about that... and find someone you’re comfortable sharing this “aha” moment with!

 

For information on creating a fun, safe practice arena for resolving real-life ethical dilemmas, contact me at marcy@e-Factorgame.com or visit our website at www.e-factorgame.com.

 

 About the author:

 After watching companies and clients struggle with ethical dilemmas, Marcy J. Maslov invented a business ethics board game to provide a practice arena for solving real-life ethical dilemmas. Marcy is founder and CEO of Empowerment Unlimited Coaching, LLC, a business coaching practice devoted to building strong, ethical leaders and entrepreneurs. She has extensive Fortune 500 and entrepreneurial background that includes facilitating corporate ethics courses, coaching professionals to define and achieve their own success and teaching business owners how to read and understand their own financial statements. Marcy has lived or worked in over 20 countries, including France, Mexico and Canada. She is a Certified Professional Coactive Coach and CPA and has earned her MBA from Duke University. Write to Marcy at marcy@e-Factorgame.com and visit her websites www.coacheuc.com and  www.e-Factorgame.com for special coaching and ethics program offers.

 About the author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is a three- time breast cancer survivor who penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND. www.survivingcancerland.com , Radio Co-host, keynote & high paid speaker, www.WakeUpWomen.com member & is represented by  Steve Allen PR Media. Follow her on her social media links and blogs from her websites & enjoy her free download  @ www.AccessYourInnerGuide.com