The Letter E of the word career stand for Ethics

Ethics  are moral principles that govern a person's behaviour 

Work place ethics refers to a group of moral principles, standards of behavior, or set of values regarding proper conduct in the workplace.

Most companies have what we call a code of ethics which is a the set of behavioral rules, employees should follow to ensure that the organizations values are reflected in all business dealings.

The main objective of the code of ethics is to define what the company is about and make it clear that it uphold values like honesty and fairness, respect etc.

Companies use code of ethics to prohibit inappropriate behavior i.e lying to managers or clients, engaging in fraud or corruption.

Code of ethics is developed by organizations to give  employees a sense of right and wrong conduct within the organization

.It remains the responsibility of every employer to train its employees on workplace ethics because ethics are as important as performance, they both affect the companies profitability

However after training, one’s character remains the  basis of ethical or unethical decisions & behaviour.

It then becomes one’s personal responsibility have or build a character that will enhance their ethical conduct at all times. It is one’s  responsibility to build a strong sense of right & wrong.

Without a well refined individual characters a code of ethics remains just a document

Character
Character is essentially “who we are”. The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. It is about how we think, feel, and behaves
A person’s Character tells a lot about an individual’s values, the manner in which he or she might act in a certain circumstances, and how they are likely to lead when placed in a position of power.
 Character often spells the difference between organizational success and failure. A character tendency toward cutting corners, dishonesty, fraud or corruption most times appears to be the only solution or the quickest way to solving problems but in a long run the consequences are dreadful. Such tendencies have a potential to ruin the organization’s reputation and negatively affect its profitability.

A man or woman of character should have patience, persistence, endurance or fortitude. Such are pillars of  good character and tools or weapon against a short cut tendencies that usually cause people to compromise ..

Unethical behaviours always backfire in a long run, no matter how right they look at the moment.

Good character breeds integrity

Integrity refers to the quality of one’s character

 A person of character will always have integrity. Integrity has to do with what or how we do things if we pursue character, then integrity becomes a natural by product of the way we live.  

Integrity simply means steadfastly adhering to strict moral principles without compromise

 People of integrity are known to keep their word, ,the promises they make They are known to do what they said they will do

They are dependable & trustworthy. They tell the truth always ,even if the truth is ugly. They are careful not to find themselves in workplace gossip.

They act according to their true beliefs, not according to convenience. They are known for consistency. There is no difference in the way they make decisions from situation to situation because of the values they hold and because of their moral principles.
 They are easily trusted ,because with them what you see is what you get.
People without integrity are called "hypocrites" they are  "two-faced. It is hard to work with them ,because they cannot be trusted. they are cunning and crafty and that has huge but negative impact on work place relations.

Character plus integrity gives birth to reputation

Reputation is one’s social or professional identity. It is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone. People draw conclusions about a  kind of person you are based on the decisions that you make and the actions that you take. The behaviours that you exhibit at every stage of your career, contribute to creating your professional reputation.

A good reputation is not something that is achieved overnight; it is the product of consistent behaviour over time. It is earned.

Besides having the basic skills necessary to do one's job, the most valuable asset that any professional has is his or her reputation.

A tarnished professional reputation resulting in wrong decisions from an ethical perspective can compromise career success. A great professional reputation is the master key to future promotions and opportunities

How to enhance your professional reputation

1.      Do more than is expected

Make it your goal to always wow! your managers, clients even team members. Just do far more than they expected ,go an extra mile. A plus or a bonus you least expect is always exciting. This is a best way to engrave your name in the hearts and mind of people.

2.      Be a solution provider

There are more than enough people whose focus is always on the problem, hence there is an urgent need for solution providers. If you position yourself as a solution provider, you make yourself “a go to person”

3.      Keep your word

Making a promise is easy but keeping promises is a test of character that most people fail.

 There are more promise makers than keepers. Be consistent about keeping your promises and don’t make promises you cannot keep. It will earn you trust and respect. You will be known to be trustworthy and dependable.

4.      Use social media with caution

Always ask yourself if for future promotions or if a prospective employer can decide to check your social media pages before making a decision, will the pages positively or negatively influence the decision.

In conclusion there should never be an excuse for unethical decision or behaviour at work  considering the cost of such choices. During times of ethical dilemma’s when you do not know what to do consider  asking someone you respect before you act