It is well known, the importance that ethics and morals have for the administrator, however, in many business sectors, it seems that this has no place and is a very serious error. Any management or administration that does not take into account rectitude and probity end up inexorably succumbing, and it is that justice, allied with time, end up imposing its law. History has shown it and will continue to show it. Hence, it is essential that we reflect on why virtues play a transcendental role in any mandate?
I will try to explain it shortly:
Let's start the task by defining the term virtue: "Willingness or habitual and firm attitude to do good." In other words, virtue is a habit, a custom, therefore, it thrives on perseverance and discipline. Today, practicing the virtues has become almost a heroic act, but possible and necessary.
Now, let's define administration: etymologically speaking it comes from two Latin roots: ad (tendency or direction) and minister (subordination or obedience), that is, the administrator carries out a task under the orders of another; provides a service to another. First alert (he does not own what he handles, hence his great responsibility). The administrator guides and guides what the entrepreneur creates.
Therefore, the preparation and the provision of good tools for your work is essential and the virtues will help you in such a worthy process. It is a prejudice and at the same time a death trap, to consider the virtues as a matter only of religion or catechesis. Nothing more absurd, the reality is not fragmented, although the science for its study does. We cannot separate one thing from another. One of the greatest capacities that all human beings have is thought, that is, the faculty to understand, to know; and Henry Ford well referred to it: "Thinking is one of the most difficult activities that exist, that is why probably so few undertake it."
Durante mis años de estudio en la facultad de administración de empresas de una prestigiosa universidad de Bucaramanga (Colombia), se nos hacía énfasis en que una de las mayores habilidades que debía desarrollar el administrador era el discernimiento (facultad humana de distinguir lo bueno y lo malo), y saben qué amigos lectores: hoy les doy la razón. La experiencia me ha enseñado que si no aprendemos a diferenciar lo que conviene de lo que no conviene a nivel personal y profesional sucumbiríamos a la larga, y esto, a nivel empresarial es 100% verídico, casi, casi, profético; una ley de la vida. Los resultados son consecuencia de nuestras decisiones y acciones. De ahí, que el discernimiento (Facultad del pensamiento) es crucial.
Well, at this point many will wonder: what does this have to do with virtues in general? Here's the reflection, pay attention:
Administration means "Make grow.", Yes, as they read it: "Make grow." Therefore, managing is not only taking care of the resources that are placed in our hands, but above all, making them prosper. And how can we prosper if we are not virtuous? How to grow, if not we are ethical and correct? Unfortunately, many of my colleagues have fallen into the misfortune of believing that solid and lasting results are achieved the easy way. They make the path to illegality and cheating, the shortcut; and in the end, they stumble into the abyss: in their lives and in their careers.
Therefore, the virtues develop in the administrator the integrity and firmness necessary not to succumb to attractive and hallucinatory but false, illusory offers. It is not only a question of obtaining resources, but also of how they are obtained and what they are wanted for. For what purpose? At the cost of what? And for whose benefit?
The administrator or leader of a company, a group, an organization or a business must exercise the following virtues:
- Prudence: Willingness of practical reason to discern our true good in all circumstances and to choose the right means to achieve it. And the advice is related to a very important gift or talent (at the moment of choosing we know how to choose what is best for our good and that of others) Justice: Constant and firm will to give each one what is due. (starting with God himself, it is essential). This virtue is directly related to science (distinguish between what is true and what is false and value goods only for what they are really worth.) Strength: It ensures firmness and constancy in the search for the good in difficulties. Believe me, nowadays, it has become almost a burden to want and build good, but it is worth it. This has to do with faith (having the complete assurance of receiving what we hope for,and be completely convinced that what we propose, we will achieve.) Temperance: It moderates the attraction of pleasures and seeks balance in the use of created goods.
If many of our dear colleagues who are facing legal proceedings today for deviating from their professional role and function, this would have been instilled in them: their present would be very different.
Now, will the virtues be an effective tool for the manager or leader? Define it yourself. See you soon.
