Leading with values - President's Page - business ethics in training - Brief Article

T+D, August, 2002 by Tina Sung

The ASTD global community was alive and well at the ASTD 2002 International Conference and Exposition in New Orleans, in June. Talking to all of you who attended the conference and expo energized me, and I hope you enjoyed your time in New Orleans as much as your colleagues and I did!

During each ASTD conference, I am always inspired by your collective expertise about and passion for the profession. This year, I was struck by the compelling messages of Dr. Oscar Arias, one of three keynote speakers. A Nobel Peace Prize winner for his efforts to end decades of political violence in Central America, president of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990, and an accomplished economist, Arias spoke to attendees from a unique perspective.

He told the audience that everyone, no matter where they live or work, is affected by increasing globalization, and that our values must measure up to the needs of a global business world. Arias's speech focused on four ethical principles that, in his opinion, form the basis of good leadership that is "both effective and morally good" in global business practices. They are responsibility, integrity, solidarity, and respect. According to Arias, those values must be the foundation of any business or enterprise, and they must guide the actions of every employee, including the leadership of the organization.

Arias's message is particularly meaningful for our community of learning and performance professionals. All of you can have an effect on your organizations by helping to integrate values and ethics into human resource and employee development practices. Much of what Arias spoke of is practiced in the ASTD community every day: showing compassion, respecting all opinions, and committing deeply to the development of the skills and abilities of others.

Your work is much more than transferring knowledge to others; you develop human potential and future leaders. Your work has a significant impact on individual growth and organizational success. To achieve that success, you and your organization must communicate your values explicitly and live by them. As Arias said, "It doesn't matter which values you choose; what matters is that you truly put them into practice."