CEOs and executives have many signs pointing us in many directions.  We have fiduciary duties to our organizations. We have ethics and compliance statements providing formal and informal decision guidelines. We hold memberships in professional associations and know their ethical standards.  We operate under laws and regulations aimed to keep us, our competition, and society safe.  We are sophisticated people. Many of us have many expensive credentials.

In reality and truth, however, we must begin first with ourselves. Our own inner moral core values are the lens through which all external signs are read. It is our own moral compass that magnetically points out the direction we take each day on how we read the rules, and what we do with them.

For this reason, Leadership Ethics Online has created another sign for you to read. This sign points within. We ask you to look within yourself, in complete honesty. You are asked to read a Creed for Executives, “I AM RESPONSIBLE.” We believe in the following statements you will find compass-points all pointing True North.

Whatever your position in your organization, if you place these rules within your heart and mind, and follow them each day, you will become a more ethical person, family member, and leader.  In fact, just one or two of these may prevent a disciplinary action, termination, litigation, or other losses.  Such a bargain.  There is a free lunch after all!  Should you like this statement, print, distribute, or even matte and frame it as a personal visual reminder.

I AM RESPONSIBLE

 

I Am Responsible For Me

I have a moral duty and moral power to control me today.
No other person has this duty or controls my power.

I am the only person controlling my emotions today.
No other person controls my emotions.

I am the only person controlling my thoughts today.
No other person controls my thoughts.

I am the only person controlling my decisions today.
No other person controls my decisions.

I am the only person controlling my words today.
No other person controls my words.

I am the only person controlling my actions today.
No other person controls my actions.

I Am Responsible For My Family

I have a moral duty to love my family today.
No other person has my duty.

I will love them through my emotional responses today.
They depend on emotions controlled by my love.

I will love them through my words today.
They depend on words heard from my love.

I will love them through my decisions today.
They depend on decisions guided by my love.

I will love them through my actions today.
They depend on actions proving my love.

I Am Responsible For People in My Organization

I have a moral duty to use my life-power for good today.
Others do not control my life-power.

I will express my emotions in constructive ways today.
Their emotions are affected by my emotions.

I will make decisions including their welfare today.
Their lives are affected by my decisions.

I will use words chosen for their improvement today.
Their emotions, thoughts, and decisions are affected by my words.

I will take actions demonstrating my fidelity to them today.
Their thoughts, words, and actions are affected by my actions.

Today May Be My Last Day – I Am Responsible To Use It!

Copyright 2012 John D. Willis, PhD, President
www.leadershipethicsonline.com
Permission to Reprint with Authorship Cited