LEADING BY EXAMPLE WITH INTEGRITY AND ETHICS

AGENCY LEARNS THE VALUE OF ASSESSMENT AND ACTION

While ethics are commonly thought of as a set of moral principles, the Elevate team recently learned that when harnessed correctly, they can amount to much more. Partnering with Merit Leadership, every Elevate employee partook in a 3-session ethical leadership training over Zoom, which focused on how to practice ethical skills and apply them in everyday situations.

The course was taught by Aaron Miller, faculty member of Brigham Young University and co-author of The Business Ethics Field Guide. Each module of the course was grounded in real-life scenarios that explored how the situation came about and the consequences of making certain choices. Topics included mastering values, being resourceful, using creativity, wielding influence, and building culture. Not only did these sessions help the team better understand how to navigate a dilemma; it paved the way to evaluate scenarios from our past and identify opportunities for growth.

Agency co-founder Lorna Weir said, “It’s not uncommon in our industry for timelines to dictate the speed at which we work. But this course really helped the entire agency understand the need to think before making a decision. Taking that extra time not only yields better results—it paves the way for new leaders to emerge. And that’s something we care deeply about at Elevate.”

Along with a wide range of ethical skills, the team came away with a deeper appreciation for different ways of thinking. In every session, the team was broken into smaller groups—oftentimes made up of people who may not normally work with each—and asked to share personal examples. It revealed similarities as well as differences in the way each of us processes a scenario, and how at the end of the day, we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, it proved to be an incredible bonding exercise in that we were all reminded that sticking to our values not only helps advance ourselves but the rest of the group as well.

Learn more about Merit Leadership at their website.

About Aaron Miller
Aaron is a cofounder of Merit Leadership and a teaching professor in the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics at the BYU Marriott School of Business, where he teaches business ethics and social innovation. Relying on research into hundreds of real ethical dilemmas faced at work, he co-wrote The Business Ethics Field Guide, which guides readers through the 13 most common ethical dangers they will encounter. Aaron has twice been recognized as Teacher of the Year in the Romney Institute. He and his wife, Katie, have four boys.