Personal Values and Ethical Standards
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Personal Values and Ethical Standards
Personal values and ethical standards are the defining factors of who a person is and what he or she will become in society. Values and ethics are determined by different means. Culture, religion, ethnic background, race, and other factors contribute to our values and ethics. There are times that our values and ethics may clash with others and this is a natural process. Knowing when to accept others for how they are and continue to work alongside them is a good quality to possess.
The people, places, and situations around us help to shape the type of values and ethics we will develop. Values and ethics were instilled in me from a very early age. As soon as I could comprehend the spoken and word and speak myself I was taught manners. Please and thank you were words I heard very often in our home. We also lived by the golden rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I was taught patience, tolerance, respect, dignity, compassion, and acceptance. I was also taught to respect my elders and to learn from what they could teach me. They have had many life experiences and are always willing to share their wisdom with others who will take the time to listen. We did not attend church on a regular basis I was taught respect for the lord and to go to him with respect and humility because he was there to help me shoulder my burdens and share my joys.
Once I started school there were several teachers who also helped me develop values and ethics. One in particular took me under her wing and taught me how to have tolerance and respect for students that were less than respectful to others. She taught me that although these children were not respectful or compassionate and caring that I was not to return that lack of respect. My teachers also taught me good work habits and how to study to get grades so that I would receive the best education possible.
There have been good and bad experiences in my life and they have helped me to establish ethics and values also. These experiences have helped to form the person who I am today. There have been bumps in the road however I always have my values and ethics in the back of my mind. I believe that this is why I chose to enter Human Services.
My values and ethics have been tried and tested throughout my life and some events have made me second guess myself but I have remained firm and they have proven me well. I continue to believe in no good deed goes unturned and that if you treat others with respect and dignity it will be returned to you.
Along with personal values and ethical standards comes perseverance. You have to give your best effort in everything you do. It is important to do this in all of your day- to -day interactions. Being in a faithful marriage or personal relationship is high on my list of values. Being honest and trustworthy are the qualities I feel are needed for healthy personal and working relationships. It is also very important to me that I raise my children with the same values and ethics that I was taught to live by. Treating those of other races, ethnicities, mental, and physical capabilities as equals has also served me well throughout my lifetime and is something that I impress upon my children.
As a child my mother was in charge of independent living residents in our area. She was responsible for their day -to -day living that included home, work, and school as well as their social lives. Oftentimes when the direct care staff did not show up for work my mom would work their shifts. She would often bring my sisters and me to work with her because she wanted us to learn that although the clients were different from us that we still needed to treat them with respect, dignity, and compassion.
Spending this time with my mom and her clients also taught me the value of hard work and what that hard work could accomplish. I would get the respect of others and have the satisfaction of knowing that I was helping those who needed me. I also learned that a hard days work would not hurt anyone and that was how you earned everything that you have.
I also volunteered at a local nursing home in the activity department during middle school. While there I learned much from the residents there. Being in the health care environment helped me to establish some strong ethics. I was young I still witnessed unethical practices while at the nursing home that helped to cement in my mind what I know is not acceptable or ethical treatment and behavior.
In regard to my personal values and ethics I would have to say that they are firmly grounded and that I can be impartial and fair in most situations. I try to refrain from imposing my values and ethics on others who stand firm in their own but I do not have a problem letting them know