The 5 P's of Ethical Power

The book “The Power of Ethical Management” by Ken Blanchard and Norman Vincent Peale was published in 1988. The principles laid out in this book are still relevant today. It consists of information which is of timeless value and serves as a worthy reminder on ethics and its importance. I particularly liked the 5 core principles of ethical decision making mentioned in the book.

Here are the 5P’s of Ethical Power

Purpose – The authors define purpose as ongoing. It is something an individual lives by. A personal mission statement of an individual can serve as the purpose. It is the vision you have for yourself and what you would like to be known for. The authors mention something called the mirror test where you look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if everything you are doing is aligned to your purpose. If there is anything not aligned to your purpose ignore it. I like this line “There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience.”

Pride – A healthy self-esteem is a corner stone for every individual’s success and a key factor to leading an ethical life. People with high self-esteem have the strength to do what they know is right even when there may be outside forces which pressures them to do something wrong. It is nice to feel good about yourself and your accomplishments. However the authors caution against false pride which can be detrimental to success .I like this line “People with humility don’t think less of themselves. They just think about themselves less.”

Patience – The third principle necessary for sound ethical behavior is patience. When trying to make an ethical decision people don’t trust the process as they expect instant results. So don’t second guess yourself and take a long range view of the consequences of your actions. I like this line “Nice Guys may appear to finish last but usually they are running in a different race.”

Persistence – Patience is necessary but without persistence it is not sufficient to keep you on track. This is a good quote to remember when we think of persistence originally attributed to Calvin Coolidge “Nothing can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Perspective – This is the central place from which the other 4 principles revolve. The authors talk about two selves, the external self which is task oriented; its attention is outward, focused on getting things done. Then there is our inner self which is reflective and thoughtful; its attention is on meaning and values, on finding significance in life. “Every problem can be solved if you take some quiet time to reflect, seek guidance and put things into perspective.”