Ethics in the workplace: Do the right thing

A well-known pair of industry experts say that professional ethics and protocol are the foundation of in-demand work skills that lead to sustained success.

The golf course maintenance industry probably doesn’t do enough to impress upon its members the value of professional ethics. No surprise there, few professions do. But ethics and its protocols have much more to do with your professional success than you might think. ¶ An ethical person does the right thing and makes the right decisions. However, professional ethics is something more and requires further steps. Professional ethics involve being all you can be for your employer, your business, society and humankind. It requires a daily commitment to excellence and an awareness that why you do something can be as important as what you do.

While many aspects of professional ethics are formally written into organizational rules and policies, many unwritten rules or protocols have a real impact on a turf manager’s career success, especially in the early years.

Time is money

The purpose of most private and public businesses is to produce a product and/or provide a service that results in financial profit. Owners, partners and employees all must show value to the operation.

We begin our careers as employees, hired to produce a product or service for a customer, and not to make our own lives easier. However, we recognize that our lives are more fulfilled if we do a good job for the employer.

The first rule of professional ethics is simple: Don’t waste time on the job. Thirty minutes wasted each work day of the year amounts to more than 16 wasted 8-hour days (more than 3 weeks). How would you react in a business of your own to an employee who thinks 30 minutes wasted everyday is no big deal? Time is money for every employer, and you represent a large investment for the owner.

That means you must prove daily that you are a good investment. Making this commitment is a great way to recession-proof your career.

Take the job seriously, not yourself

Most jobs require us to interact with other employees and groups. It’s in these relationships where personality difficulties can become problematic and go beyond an organization’s written policies.

The best advice in these situations is to take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Always give your colleagues credit for their contribution, and at times it may be a good idea to do 60 percent of the work and take 40 percent of the credit. However, never give undeserved credit. This encourages more non-productivity.

Transparency is another key to success. Never withhold beneficial information from your colleagues or your organization. Choose your words and actions carefully in the workplace and always aim for a positive result, remembering that you are part of a team. A team of two that cooperates accomplishes much more than two individuals who are not in sync; it is the very definition of synergy, 1+1=3. Be sure to follow all the formal policies of your organization. Ask yourself this: If you were on trial for being an effective and respected co-worker, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

If you are in a management or supervisory position, you set the pace, whether you realize it or not. Employees work only as hard as the boss works. Employees respect a boss who works and sweats (not necessarily physically) with them and for them.

It’s also important to spend occasional informal time with employees. It makes them feel important and engaged. In addition, take ownership. Do what is expected “and then some.” Learn which jobs are uniquely yours and which tasks you can effectively delegate. Doing this consistently and fairly not only improves productivity and morale, it increases your value and opportunity for advancement.

Know what to say and how to say it

Golf/turf industry professionals often have difficulty recognizing how important their role is in corporate and public relations. However, the rise of social media has brought new meaning to the old saying “perception is reality.” Sustaining a long, successful career now requires a few personal marketing skills. Here are some tips.

If your organization has rules for giving quotes or sharing information, follow them as written. Work with company and industry experts to learn how to tell your story and generate the shared vision for all communications inside and outside of the organization.

Writing and speaking with clarity and expressiveness are not accidental skills; they are both learned and developed. Make a commitment to develop presentation skills as part of a lifelong commitment to learning. You will see an exponential return on your investment.

Get in the habit of taking great pictures. Most people today have an amazing camera in their pockets. You will find hundreds of uses for these photos, but only if you take the time to take the photos and organize them for future use. You should be the expert when it comes to telling your work story.

Keep accurate journals and work logs. Be sure that all communications that bear your name are professional and set a tone for excellence and proper form. Don’t use ‘I,’ ‘me,’ ‘my,’ and ‘mine’ to talk about your organization’s accomplishments. ‘Our’ and ‘we’ are much better terms. After all, most accomplishments are a result of some previous work and/or current work of others, both within and outside the organization.

Never let negative people or policies limit your aspirations. Take the higher road, and be cooperative but persistent.

Ordinary excellence dos and don’ts

Ordinary excellence refers to once common things in the workplace that are becoming more and more rare. Here are some ordinary excellence dos:

Always be on time for work and appointments. Be prompt with correspondence, including letters, phone calls and e-mails. It’s the respectful thing to do. People lose confidence in you if you’re slow to respond or don’t respond to correspondence.

Be consistent and objective in decision-making, evaluations, etc. Inconsistency confuses people and is detrimental to an organization. Don’t spend time and money on non-essential items just because the organization pays for them.

Don’t be afraid to say, “I do not know.” Find the answer and get back to the proper person in a timely manner.

Rejoice in other people’s successes and awards and tell them so! On the other hand, tell the truth in recommendation letters or it will come back to bite you.

And here are some ordinary excellence don’ts:

Setting a poor example. It’s unprofessional to be a part of offensive jokes, cursing, etc. Nobody likes to make mistakes, but you can correct most mistakes with little detriment if they’re identified early. It’s unacceptable to try to hide a known mistake that can affect an organization financially or damage its reputation.

Don’t listen to gossip or be a part of the ‘doom and gloom.’ As long as they are legal, follow the rules of your organization regardless of how you feel about them. Don’t criticize your bosses or colleagues, even if they deserve it. If you just don’t like the boss, learn to like him or her or find another job.

Your performance is your livelihood

No matter what your role in the golf/turf industry, your livelihood is linked to your performance. Applying the principles of good professional ethics and protocol can help you sustain a long and storied career full of challenges, accomplishments and inspirations. It’s our hope that you take these tips and use them as action items while you construct your personal roadmap to success.