Ghetto Ethics: A Certified Management Consultant's Perspective to Restoring Organizational Behavior Columbus, GA Monday, February 21, 2011 Ethics is defined as "The principles, norms, and standards of conduct governing an individual or organization" ethics form the basis for determining the correct action, or moral behavior, in a particular situation. According to Thesaurus Dictionaries Ghetto is defined as any segregated mode of living or working that result from bias or stereotyping;

Why has organizations placed limited value on Ethics in the Workplace? The Madoff Ponzi Scheme and Enron Cases have done little to deter this disturbing workplace trend. Dr. Jakes, International Managing Director, Dwayne D. Jakes & Associates Management Systems, LLC believes there is a place for ethics in business. He states there are several ethical dilemmas arising in the workplace. For example, determining right and wrong in conflicts, Addressing cynicism and mistrust of business leaders, Considering ethics in a society with an emphasis on success and material success, Redirected focus to positive, ethical, and socially responsible actions, and Moving beyond considering ethics as a fad.

Why are Ethics important? Dr. Jakes' beliefs are Media focus and organization reputation, it is good for businesses to act responsibly, corporate ethics begin with the executives at the top, Manager's productivity increases with cohesive employee actions, Employee's character and reputations count, and there are economic, legal, societal, and philanthropic responsibilities.

How do we restore Ethical business behavior? By developing, implementing, or re-enforcing the Code of Ethics. An Employee Code of Conduct which acts as a reference guide for all employees, providing information on expectations, standards and policies.

The 5 key elements to any Code of Ethics are:

1. The rights of the employee and the organization.

2. The responsibility of all employees to work within the policies be respectful and responsible.

3. The responsibility of employees to report conflicts of interest and health and safety concerns.

4. Infringement information.

5. Employee agreement.

Does your organization operate with a ghetto mindset to ethics and morality? If the answer is yes, Dr. Jakes suggest re-evaluating and aligning your organization's mission, vision, and value statements for employees to understand your personal ethical system. Professional Management Consultants not only provide superior services to their clients, they do so in an ethical manner. IMC USA requires that members adhere to a Code of Ethics as a condition of membership and for certification. http://www.imcusa.org