Being an ethical person goes beyond simply not breaking the law. In fact, there are many laws that are unethical and breakable. Being an ethical person means living in a way that is fair and compassionate, while also being honest and responsible.
Contents
- Be honest
- Be kind
- Be fair and equitable
- Be transparent and accountable
- Be diligent and responsive to feedback
- Conclusion
Rather than being someone who simply avoids doing bad things, you can be an ethical person by following a set of basic principles that guide your actions.
If you have ever been told that you have the potential to be such a good person but just need to work on it, then you know what it’s like to be un-ethical.
Being an ethical person may seem like a scary proposition — after all, we live in a world where “unethical” has become synonymous with “successful” — but it doesn’t take much to get started. Here are 5 tips for becoming an ethical person!
Be honest
Honesty is the foundation of all ethical behavior. If you can’t be honest with yourself and others, then everything else on this list is irrelevant. Honesty is not just about avoiding lying.
It also includes things like being careful with your words, respecting privacy, not bragging, and not engaging in “spin” or “fake news.” If you’re honest, you can correct your mistakes without shame or guilt.
You can also be trusted by others. You may even find that people are more willing to help you with things, because they know that you won’t take advantage of them.
Most importantly, if you’re honest, you can be at peace with yourself. You won’t have to live with shame or guilt, and you will be able to make amends with others when you’ve messed up.
You’ll also feel very comfortable in your own skin. It’s difficult to be ethical when you’re constantly trying to cover up your mistakes, but it’s easy to be ethical when you’re willing to own up to them.
Be kind
Being kind is more than just being friendly and smiling a lot. It’s about being interested in the people around you and making their lives better. This doesn’t have to mean giving away all of your money.
It can simply mean being cooperative and thoughtful with the people you interact with. Be aware of the people around you and the specific needs they may have.
For example, you could use a kind word to help someone with depression, or you could use your knowledge to help someone solve a problem in their life. You could also be kind to the environment and use your skills to help protect it.
Being kind doesn’t have to be a huge thing. It can be something as simple as helping an elderly person with groceries or volunteering at a local animal shelter.
Doing small things like this can help you to feel better about yourself, which will make it easier to be kind to others.
Be fair and equitable
Being fair and equitable means that you give everyone the same or similar treatment. Being fair doesn’t mean that you should be soft on yourself and be a pushover.
But it does mean that you should use the same standards on yourself as you use on others. If you’re working on a project, you should expect the same amount of work from yourself that you expect from everyone else.
If you have a rule that all meetings have to end by a certain time, then you should end your own meetings by that time too.
If you have a rule that meetings shouldn’t last more than an hour, then neither should your own meetings. If you have a rule that all co-workers have to take notes during meetings, then you should take notes during your own meetings too.
Be transparent and accountable
Being transparent means that you’re not hiding things from others. You’re willing to share your perspective and thoughts without shame, and without expecting anything in return.
If you make a promise, you follow through. If you make a mistake, you be transparent about it and find a way to correct it. If you have a set of values that you want to follow, then you should be transparent and open about them.
For example, you could share your values with your co-workers so they know how you want to be treated and what you expect from the workplace. Being accountable means that you have to have an answer for everything.
When someone asks you a question, you have to have a clear and simple answer for it. You don’t have to give long and drawn-out explanations, but you have to have a straightforward answer that doesn’t leave people hanging.
Be diligent and responsive to feedback
Being diligent means that you’re not easily distracted. You’re able to focus and commit yourself to whatever needs to be done. You take initiative in solving problems, and you care about the things that you do.
You’re also able to accept feedback from others and use it to improve yourself. Diligence and responsiveness to feedback are essential qualities for anyone who wants to grow as a person.
If you want to be an ethical person, you have to be able to listen to criticism and use it to make yourself better. And if you want to be an ethical person, you have to be able to accept the feedback that others have for you too.
It’s easy to tell yourself that you’re doing everything the right way, but it’s more difficult to actually be open to feedback and use it to improve.
Conclusion
This article shows that being an ethical person goes beyond simply not breaking the law. In fact, there are many laws that are unethical and breakable.
Being an ethical person means living in a way that is fair and compassionate, while also being honest and responsible.
Rather than being someone who simply avoids doing bad things, you can be an ethical person by following a set of basic principles that guide your actions.
If you can do these 5 things well, you will be well on your way to becoming an ethical person.
If you are not an ethical person, the good news is that you can become one. It may take some time, but following these tips will help you to become the person you want to be.
