Drivers for Marvin Keller are expected to have a strong moral and ethical character; it’s part of our culture. The best drivers and employees have high moral character, and those who do are the most successful and most likely to advance in their careers and be good leaders. What does having a moral and ethical character mean? To have a strong moral character is to have a set of positive traits and behavioral characteristics that reflect an ethical code of fairness and responsibility while acting with integrity. These people consistently make better decisions than those with undesirable traits. Here are some examples of moral character traits.
- Honesty: Honesty is truthfulness in word and deed. An honest person doesn’t deceive others or manipulate facts. They admit when they’re wrong and work to improve themselves.
- Personal Responsibility: Having accountability for your actions and the decisions you make is necessary. A moral person takes responsibility for their role on the job or in personal situations and works to remedy mistakes without getting angry or deflecting blame.
- Respect for Others: Having respect for others involves acknowledging another’s worth and treating them with courtesy and dignity even when you disagree. You don’t always have to agree with someone, but those with strong morals understand that sometimes you just have to agree to disagree.
- Trustworthiness: Simply put, people can rely on you to do what needs done when it
needs done. - Courage/Integrity: Those with moral characters exhibit the courage to stand by their convictions and defend them. At MK, we will always defend our culture of values. A moral person has integrity, a strong code of morals and ethics that they will not compromise. It often takes courage in the face of adversity to avoid the temptation to cut corners or compromise one’s values.
- Kindness/Humility: No one wants to work with an unpleasant, arrogant person. Treating others with kindness is imperative in the workplace, where a toxic person can ruin the work environment for everyone. Simply offering to help or showing genuine understanding for others can make a world of difference.
- Positivity: When you look at everything in a positive light, you are opening yourself up to greater problem-solving ability. Each challenge is an opportunity, not a roadblock.
Those with strong moral character exhibit the gamut of positive traits, not just one or two. In our never-ending quest for self-improvement, we must take a hard look at our own behavior and examine what we need to change. If you see the above list and find that you are lacking in some of these traits, never fear. Sometimes all it takes to improve is to learn and become aware of our own behaviors before we can improve.