Ethics Education Courses

Professional Ethics training should not be about abstract principles or obscure concepts. At the Institute, our Ethics Education Program is designed to accomplish two very important things:

First, we help participants better understand their own ethical decision-making in relation to their responsibilities within their organization. By doing so, we help them develop the tools they need to improve doing what to some extent they already do.
Second, we begin to foster in participants the habit of seeking and doing the right thing; that is, to develop the character, the disposition and - just as important - the confidence to recognize and practice sound priorities.

Our training model is rooted in an understanding of the nuances of adult learning and engages participants on several levels to optimize results:

Lectures introduce the students to new concepts.

The Priority Poller & Interactive Media stimulate interest.

Examples, Case Studies and Breakout sessions inform their Experience.

Desire drives the pursuit of excellence.

Repetition and Reflection develop Habits.

The Nicomachean Ethics

The ancient philosopher Aristotle provided Western Civilization with a wonderful map for the study of human and organizational ethics with his Nicomachean Ethics. Contrary to what many now believe about philosophy, Aristotle did not invent an abstract, idealistic or irrelevant system in answer to his quest to understand human ethics.

Instead, Aristotle found that true ethics can only be found in human activity performed in accordance with the appropriate excellence. We don't have to be missionaries or martyrs to be ethical, Aristotle said; we simply have to do our work well and with a noble intention, bearing in mind that the world works better when relationships are based on trust.