Personal Values Development Paper
Personal Values Development Paper Karen L. Bailey RN University of Phoenix – Online Ethics in Management PHL323 Nichole Anderson Harris January 04, 2010 Personal Values Development Paper Many wonder about someone’s personal values and how or when value were and are developed. Through research and discussions I found that personal values are developed at an early age. When we are born we have no personal values but as we grow we are taught and learn those personal values by our parents, peers, and community.
There are so many people with different values and ethical standards that there may be some that are similar to ones own, however, it would be hard to find any two exactly alike. In essence “a value is a belief, a mission, or a philosophy that is meaningful. Whether we are consciously aware of them or not, every individual has a core set of personal values” (Posner, 2007). Human nature as well as life experience come into play in further development of values, serving to both reinforce and moderate our value sets. When people are faced with dilemmas about values certain questions will arise, such as what forged the feelings and beliefs.
Today’s globalizations also requires people to understand different cultural ethics. An individual’s personal values that he or she hold should be regarded as worthwhile. Those values will represent that person’s highest priority and driving force. Personal values and ethics are carried by an individual in both personal and business worlds. If an individual carries personal values and ethics into the workplace and that workplace doen’t maintain ethics as a priority then the individual would not succeed at that company. Personal values development occurs in three levels containing various stages (Kohlberg, 1971).
The first level, preconventional level, is when a child responds to the cultural rules, characterized as good and bad, right or wrong and are interpreted in terms of physical or self gratifying consequences like punishment, rewards or exchange of favor or even the physical power of those who express the rules and the labels. This first level is then divided into three stages: Stage Zero which is the egocentric judgment stage in which a child makes judgements of good on the basis of what he likes and wants as well as bad on the basis of what he doen’t like or what hurts.
No concept of rules or of obligations to obey or conform independent of his wish. Stage One is the punishment and obedience orientation stage. Here where the physical consequences of action determin its goodness or badness regarless of the meaning or value of these consequences. Stage Two and final stage of level one is the instrumental relativist orentation in which the metaphor “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” comes into play and not loyalty, gratitude, or justice (Kohlberg, 1971).
The second level, conventional level, is where an individual perceives the maintenance of the expectations of the family, group, or nation as valuable in its own right, regardless of immediate and obvious consequences. That persons attitude is not only one of conformity to personal expectations and social order but also of loyalty to it. This level consists of two more stages. Stage Three is the interpersonal concordance or “good boy-nice girl” orientations in which good behavior is what pleases or helps others and is approved by them.
Stage Four known as the “law and order” orientation and is where an individual is oreinted toward authority, fixed rules, and the maintenance of the social order. Otherwise known as doing one’s duty, showing respect for authority, and maintaing the social order for its own sake (Kohlberg, 1971). The third and last level is the post-conventional, principled level. On this level, which has two more stages, is where an individual defines what moral values are and prinicples that have validity and application a part from the authority of the groups of persons holding him or her a part from the individual’s own identification with the group.
In this level there is Stage Five, the social contract legalistic orientation in which the right action tends to be defined in terms of general individual rights and standsards that have been critically examined and agreed upon by the whole society. Stage Six called the univeral ethical-principle orientation in which right is defined by the decision of the universality, and consistency. Also known as the “golden rule” of equality of the hman rights, and respect for the dignity of human beings as individual persons. My values may have both positive and negative impact in the workplace.
Treating others with dignity and respect, might help my patients surroundings and would be considered a positive impact. In turn this will help those same patients decide on how others should be treated because they enjoy being treated respectfully and with dignity. Positive value occurs when my values and ethics guide me to treat patients in a respectful and honest manner, which will ensure my integrity as a medical professional and will allow me to gain the trust of those patients. This would increase my performance. Offering nursing care to patients with respect will give me a sense of pride in what I am doing.
However, there is a negative side to nursing as well. That negative side, e. g. patient overload, will also have an impact on my perfomance and on patient care, which will decrease the workplace equity. One could say that an individual’s values are made of all that has happened in the course of one’s life. This includes influences an individual learns from parents, church, family, friends, peers, education, culture, and reading as well. Most people will realize all the environmental factors that influence them and will develop a clear and meaningful set of values and priorities.
Once an individual has defined those values, the values will then impact ever aspect of that individuals life. In conclusion, when implementing values in an indivial life or in the workplace that individual will continue to stay focused and work hard. Many factors contribute to the development of values and guide actions that are learned through life experiences, teachings at home, school and or church. Personal work values can change throughout and individuals life and have a large impact on performance in the workplace.
People should remember that someones personal values or beliefs should be welcomed in the workplace as a way of developing the company or organization and help it move into the future. One must never forget that when making decisions values play a key role in those decisions. References Kohlberg, L. (1971). Stages of moral development. Retrieved January 04, 2010, from Xendodochy: http://xenodochy. org/ex/lists/moraldev. html Posner, R. (2007). The Power of Personal Values. Retrieved January 04, 2010, from Gurusoftware. com: http://www. gurusoftware. com/GuruNet/Personal/Topics/Values. htm
