Ethics is a Daily Deal: Choosing to Build Moral Strength as a Practice

“Are you an ethical person?” Regardless of your answer, a follow-up probe might be: “How do you know?” Your personal values reflect your beliefs, what you care about. These values, if they really matter to you, are activated by and through your everyday decisions. How do you ensure that your values, those that reflect your best ethical self, are actually demonstrated in the choices you make on a daily basis? Sometimes what we say we value does not match our actual behavior. Being ethical requires the ability to discern and navigate competing values, continually striving to attain both personal and organizational goals with moral strength. This necessitates the development of skills that support personal governance and your moral competency. To be ethical, building moral strength needs to become a focus of your daily life, which calls for making a deliberate effort to apply the values you say you hold. In reading this book you will see how awareness of your thoughts and emotions—along with specific moral competencies—can influence your desire to do the right thing and bolster your ability to exercise moral strength at work. Drawing insight from the latest research in management, business ethics, organizational behavior, and psychology, each chapter is intended to help adult learners examine, leverage, and continue to develop their best ethical selves in organizational life.

About the Author

Leslie E. Sekerka, Ph.D. Professor of ManagementDirector, Ethics in Action Research and Education Center Contact Information 650-543-3701 (W)831-648-1965 (H)lesekerk@gmail.comlsekerka@menlo.edu C.V. [http://www.menlo.edu/directory/detail/leslie-sekerka]Ethics in Action Research and Education Center [http://www.sekerkaethicsinaction.com/] Education • Ph.D., Organizational Behavior, Case Western Reserve University, 2002 • M.A., Communication Theory and Methodology, Cleveland State University, 1997 • B.A., Business Administration, summa cum laude, Baldwin-Wallace University, 1981 Biography/Personal Statement Dr. Sekerka’s teaching and scholarship takes a uniquely proactive approach to applied ethics. Herinterest in adult moral development stems from her work in industry and academia, weaving practice and empirical research to forge management ethics education. The professor’s research focuses on the promotion of character strength in support of personal and organizational growth, ethical decision-making, and moral courage in the workplace. Her award winning scholarship appears in a variety of venues including journals, proceedings, and special issues targeting Positive Organizational Ethics. Her books on moral development and competency range from Ethics Training in Action and Ethics is a Daily Deal for adult learners, to the Being a Better Bear book series for children. As Founder/Director of the Ethics in Action Research and Education Center, she works with Silicon Valley business leaders on emerging ethical issues and developing and sustaining an ethical culture in the workplace. Dr. Sekerka is an Academic Partner at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Sheis known globally as a business ethics specialist, providing workshops and seminars to help advance employees’ moral competencies and build organizational ethical strength.