Ethics, Protocols and Relationship Between Co-workers

Recently, I was privileged to facilitate an interesting discussion on Ethics, Protocols and Relationship between Co-workers at a strategy session organised by one of my very esteemed clients. It was a great session, considering the positive feedback from a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey done after the session.

We started the discussion with a critical review of a popular quote ‘‘Organizations must accelerate, or they will die’’. It was a good ice breaker, as this got everyone thinking. We then looked at what drives an organisation forward and it became clear that not much can be achieved in an organisation without the members understanding and living out its core values and core purpose. 

The Core values, represent ‘The Truths’ -  what the organisation stands for while the ‘Core Purpose’ is really about what the organisation was created to accomplish. The two are very critical factors that usually remain unchanged over a period of time. That is why they must form the very basis for running the organisation.

Before getting to the main topic, we also took a critical look at the role of ‘Strategy and Culture’ in achieving set results for any organisation. As we all know, strategy consists of the goals, objectives and activities the organisation sets out to execute. I like to refer to this as “the guiding path” to success. On the other hand, culture represents the collective values, beliefs and principles of organizational members. This, I like to refer to as the “driving path” to success. We noted that culture may also be influenced by factors such as history, product, market, technology, strategy, type of employees, management style, and prevailing ways of doing things. We all agreed that every organisation must pay attention to these factors. 

Strategy and culture, driven by the mission, vision and values of the organisation coupled with effective and efficient interaction produce desired results for the organisation. 

Having laid this solid foundation, we could then delve into the discussion of ethics, protocols and co-worker relationship. 

Starting with definitions - Simply put, ethics is a way of understanding and examining what is “right” and what is “wrong”. It’s about how we relate with others fairly and with mutual respect. 

A protocol can be described as ‘The customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group’. The big question is, “Do we really understand this concept in our part of the world?” We could say, ‘Yes, we do”. We know what to do but most times we simply do not do them. 

I recall one having to see a senior officer of an organisation for a 12noon appointment. I got there at about 15 minutes early and had to wait 5 hours before I was attended to. Was it ethical? Was it fair? No. 

But this happens all the time between colleagues, business associates etc. Ethics and lack of if shows up all the time in the small and big things we do – appointments, receiving / seeing others, holding meetings /exchange of communication, use of the common facilities, dress code, posture, hosting / attending lunch/dinners, Invitations etc. If we are mindful of the need to respect and be fair to each other, we will be more careful and considerate in the way we treat each other. 

At the end of the day, ethics and protocol affect co-worker relationships. At this point, there were lots of questions and scenarios to consider. Obviously, they have had to manage lots of situations around co-worker relationships in the recent past. 

In proffering solutions, I thought the best place to begin was to talk about collaboration. In a collaborative working environment, everyone focuses on the business goal, not on personal goals. This way, the organisation is priority, not individuals. This helped to set the tone for this part of the conversation. 

Co-worker relationships is really about how we relate / interact with one another at work – across levels. Yes, having organisational codes of conduct and principles are good but it is better when people truly desire to work together and forge, what is sometimes referred to as, workplace friendships. This leads to more cohesive work groups, more satisfied and committed employees, greater productivity and greater attainment of organisational goals.

A basic principle that should guide us at work is ‘I treat others as I want them to treat me’. It is actually referred to as the Golden Rule. We want to be respected, talked to gently, encouraged and supported. So, we should do the same. In our discussion, we agreed that colleagues should be respectful and cooperative with others, be neat and clean, honor personal space, discourage / avoid any form of harassment (which is against the law) and do a good job always. These are simple tips but they will make a huge difference.

Organisations are set up to create and capture value. This cannot happen unless they make ‘meaning’ that is obvious to their audiences. So, everyone is required to make this happen. Remember that one of the evidence of culture is what you allow, accept, reward or punish. Without agreed ways of doing things in an organisation, it will be difficult to produce good results in a manner that is consistent and sustainable. 

It was a great outing, as it gave me the opportunity to provide guidance and proffer solutions to a nagging issue which had the potential to undermining all the efforts being made to achieve organizational goals. The joy of being a Consultant, I would say.