The Magnificent Seven
Published on Feb 15, 2016
No Description
MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Codes of Conduct
for Your business
introductions . . .
Sandra Garant
Attorney who advise nonprofits w/ risk management (formation and termination of nonprofit organizations, bylaws, policies and procedures, strategic planning, fundraising, and communications), business writer and teacher for many years
Who are you? Name and business; feel free to pass around your business cards
Attorney who advise nonprofits w/ risk management (formation and termination of nonprofit organizations, bylaws, policies and procedures, strategic planning, fundraising, and communications), business writer and teacher for many years
Who are you? Name and business; feel free to pass around your business cards
Disclaimer: This course does not constitute an attorney-client relationship & is for general information purposes only.
Goals
Uses of a Code
Developing a Code
Learning the Code
Photo by Bogdan Suditu
why a Code?
Large and Small Companies For Profit and Nonprofits are using codes.
1) Many young people have had little moral or ethical training.
2) Including college graduates who are probably in worse shape because they've had subjective ethics. What I refer to as Jello ethics. Translucent and wobbly and low nutritional value at best.
3) Media sends mixed ethical messages.
4) Honor codes are dishonored.
5) Diversity can mean different ethical standards.
6) We have short term memories. Education finds analytical thinking difficult to teach and doesn't, except in limited situations.
7) What else?
1) Many young people have had little moral or ethical training.
2) Including college graduates who are probably in worse shape because they've had subjective ethics. What I refer to as Jello ethics. Translucent and wobbly and low nutritional value at best.
3) Media sends mixed ethical messages.
4) Honor codes are dishonored.
5) Diversity can mean different ethical standards.
6) We have short term memories. Education finds analytical thinking difficult to teach and doesn't, except in limited situations.
7) What else?
Photo by Oberazzi
Uses of a Code
- Risk Management
- Employee Hiring/Retention
- Business Identity
A code is somewhat like an umbrella. It can cover you from nasty weather, you can use it to poke things you don't necessarily want to touch, it can get shabby, and you tend to forget it and leave it behind when the weather is fine.
Photo by bachmont
Risk Management
May be unique in your business
Risk Management
1. Prevent liability by having appropriate guidelines
2. A code is a resource that people can check when they are unsure.
3. Smoother day to day operations b/c staff knows the expectations
4. Standards to measure conduct to remind, retrain, or rebuke.
What are specific risks to your business?
1. Prevent liability by having appropriate guidelines
2. A code is a resource that people can check when they are unsure.
3. Smoother day to day operations b/c staff knows the expectations
4. Standards to measure conduct to remind, retrain, or rebuke.
What are specific risks to your business?
Photo by Vicki & Chuck Rogers
Hiring
ANd Retaining the best staff
Use your expectations and standards as outlined in your code to hire staff.
What does this look like?
Ask them how they have reacted in the past. These are general questions.
When was the last time you apologized to someone? Explain a time you gave exceptional customer service.
If you have a minor dispute with someone, what's typically your first reaction? What's your second reaction?
What are some specific questions you might want to ask about the people you are hiring that are related to your business identity?
What does this look like?
Ask them how they have reacted in the past. These are general questions.
When was the last time you apologized to someone? Explain a time you gave exceptional customer service.
If you have a minor dispute with someone, what's typically your first reaction? What's your second reaction?
What are some specific questions you might want to ask about the people you are hiring that are related to your business identity?
Photo by aaronvandorn
People who have widely diverse ethics
probably will have some difficulty working together.
Photo by Stuart Barr
Business ID
People know what you stand for, what to expect from your company.
Marketing tool
But make sure your staff is trained well first.
Flip side: it can cost you a lot if you don't live up to it!
Marketing tool
But make sure your staff is trained well first.
Flip side: it can cost you a lot if you don't live up to it!
Photo by Thomas Tolkien
Drafting a Code
where do you start?
First, a code is not policies and procedures.
The code establishes a general standard of rightness and fairness in our dealings with staff and the public, including potential clients and customers.
However, you want your code to integrate well with your policies and procedures.
If you already have a policy in place, then you have no need to include that area in your code.
The code establishes a general standard of rightness and fairness in our dealings with staff and the public, including potential clients and customers.
However, you want your code to integrate well with your policies and procedures.
If you already have a policy in place, then you have no need to include that area in your code.
Photo by drubuntu
Brevity
Sad Story:
A large company paid attorneys 1000s of $$ to write a code of conduct. The code was 50 pages long. And dense. No one used it. The company then paid 1000s of $$ for a consulting firm to shorten it. The consultants got the code down to 25 pages. No one used it.
It needs to be short and easy to remember and easy to find and use.
A large company paid attorneys 1000s of $$ to write a code of conduct. The code was 50 pages long. And dense. No one used it. The company then paid 1000s of $$ for a consulting firm to shorten it. The consultants got the code down to 25 pages. No one used it.
It needs to be short and easy to remember and easy to find and use.
Photo by ~Brenda-Starr~
Your Magnificent 7
Limit your code to seven key principles.
You can have less, but not more.
If you need more, then write a policy or have a general seven for the office, and then a specific seven for specific departments.
You can have less, but not more.
If you need more, then write a policy or have a general seven for the office, and then a specific seven for specific departments.
Photo by Leo Reynolds
Including owner/manager
Codes don't work if management won't use them yet expects staff to use them. Your staff should know what to expect from you.
Top down management
Top down management
Photo by LocoRopes
Engage staff
Homework: Engage your staff in the development of the code.
Why?
They need to identify risks and ethical principles based upon their day to day operations and perhaps on unusual situations. The code needs to address their concerns, their uncertainty.
Hand out staff preparation papers and discuss.
Why?
They need to identify risks and ethical principles based upon their day to day operations and perhaps on unusual situations. The code needs to address their concerns, their uncertainty.
Hand out staff preparation papers and discuss.
Photo by rileyssmiling
Areas of Risk
As owner/manager, you will complete the same staff preparation worksheets before the next session.
Look through your policies and procedures.
In the next session, we will discuss what you have come up with (and what your staff has prepared if they are finished or have at least begun the process) and discuss wording and specific situations.
Look through your policies and procedures.
In the next session, we will discuss what you have come up with (and what your staff has prepared if they are finished or have at least begun the process) and discuss wording and specific situations.
Photo by Truthout.org
Questions
Welcome back.
What questions do you have?
Discussions
How is your staff reacting?
This is similar to strategic planning, so it's tough. People are not taught how to plan strategically.
What questions do you have?
Discussions
How is your staff reacting?
This is similar to strategic planning, so it's tough. People are not taught how to plan strategically.
Photo by ed_needs_a_bicycle
Code & Specific Situations
The Code is somewhat general. We have to connect it to specific situations.
List specific situations where you want your code used in your business.
So your staff needs to connect the code to situations, which requires training. We will discuss training in the next session after we cover more ground with the actual drafting of your code. It doesn't have to be perfect at this point and you will most likely need to tweak it.
List specific situations where you want your code used in your business.
So your staff needs to connect the code to situations, which requires training. We will discuss training in the next session after we cover more ground with the actual drafting of your code. It doesn't have to be perfect at this point and you will most likely need to tweak it.
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Disclaimer: This course does not constitute an attorney-client relationship & is for general information purposes only.
training
The Code works only if your staff is trained.
Staff will be familiar if they participated in developing the code.
You want to make using the code as convenient as possible.
You don't want to use it as a weapon, although it should be a standard.
Staff will be familiar if they participated in developing the code.
You want to make using the code as convenient as possible.
You don't want to use it as a weapon, although it should be a standard.
Photo by tonylanciabeta
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY
insufficient
The code should be accessible. Each staff should have a copy.
It should be posted in the breakroom.
But that's not enough.
Your staff needs to connect the dots between the code and what they do each day. Staff discussions once a week for a month. Not too long and not too short: 20 to 45 minutes on each section of your code.
It should be posted in the breakroom.
But that's not enough.
Your staff needs to connect the dots between the code and what they do each day. Staff discussions once a week for a month. Not too long and not too short: 20 to 45 minutes on each section of your code.
Photo by 37prime
leadership
How will you apply the code? Lead the way!
How will they apply the code in their day to day activities?
What will they do if they are unsure?
Does staff need reference materials that correlate to the code? Such as contact information for preferred services, fire department, police department, etc.?
These references should be convenient to access.
How will they apply the code in their day to day activities?
What will they do if they are unsure?
Does staff need reference materials that correlate to the code? Such as contact information for preferred services, fire department, police department, etc.?
These references should be convenient to access.
Photo by pedrosimoes7
Reminders
Understanding how to apply the code may take time.
Ask staff to create weekly reminders to use the code for the first three months.
If someone forgets, that person is responsible for creating a reminder dealing with that situation or code section.
Ask staff to create weekly reminders to use the code for the first three months.
If someone forgets, that person is responsible for creating a reminder dealing with that situation or code section.
Photo by tiff_ku1
Untitled Slide
New hires need to be trained in the code and how to apply it.
After the initial three months, revisit the code for tweaks.
It's probably not perfect. Your staff should assess with you how the code is working. And develop changes as needed.
This is not a time to criticize each other, but a learning experience. Remember, many people have not had much experience following standards of behavior.
After the initial three months, revisit the code for tweaks.
It's probably not perfect. Your staff should assess with you how the code is working. And develop changes as needed.
This is not a time to criticize each other, but a learning experience. Remember, many people have not had much experience following standards of behavior.
Photo by groundswell
Annual Review
After training, reminding, and perhaps retraining, your staff should assess the code annually. Take about one and a half to two hours to discuss the code with staff.
Is it still working?
What situations have not been addressed?
Is more training required for a better understanding?
How has the code affected your clients?
How has it affected staff?
Is it still working?
What situations have not been addressed?
Is more training required for a better understanding?
How has the code affected your clients?
How has it affected staff?
Photo by DafneCholet
Disclaimer: This course does not constitute an attorney-client relationship & is for general information purposes only.
Questions
Welcome back.
What questions do you have?
Discussions
What are your concerns as to your code, your staff, training, hiring, use of the code in your business?
What questions do you have?
Discussions
What are your concerns as to your code, your staff, training, hiring, use of the code in your business?
Photo by ed_needs_a_bicycle
Untitled Slide
Last chance for personalized assistance through this course. Divide my time.
Course Evaluation
Discuss the worst part of this process of developing a code and the best part.
Continue to collaborate with each other.
Course Evaluation
Discuss the worst part of this process of developing a code and the best part.
Continue to collaborate with each other.
Photo by SimonWhitaker
