My responsibility was to wash dishes, prepare toast, and, occasionally, buss tables.

On this
day, the diner set their personal record for money earned in a day. The work was grueling, lasting
seven hours, and non-stop moving around. Once the clock hit one Oclock (the closing hour), I
was exhausted and had very little energy. My boss, the owner of the diner, looked at me and said
You have worked hard today. Go home, get some rest. I was extremely grateful that my boss
let me leave a little early, so I grabbed my pay and left. I gained a lot of respect for my boss and
enjoyed working for her while I was there. I still work there on the weekends occasionally to
make some spending money while I am at school.
An example of a time I was not shown empathy in the workforce was when I was
working for my fathers construction company this summer. I dont know much about
construction, so he had me taking out trash and cleaning out empty units. Units are what we
referred to as empty apartments or condominiums. When he stopped by to check up on me, he
was furious. He screamed at me because he didnt believe I was working fast enough. So, I
started working as hard as I could until the unit I was in was completely empty. My boss was my
father, so he couldve have been just being hard on me to teach me a lesson about hard work, but
it made me angry getting screamed at, and I didnt want to keep working after.
Working in Manhattan is not an easy task. The closer you get to Wall Street, the thicker
the air gets, and the closer you get to Times Square, the thicker the tourists get. I was lucky
enough to land a job at Abercrombie & Fitch on 59th street. It was a selective position and I
knew that. I was hired based on my looks and I honestly wasnt sure how I felt about that. I was
late orientation and immediately thought I was going to get fired. The orientation leader
immediately countered my anxiety with comfort. Everyday we were instructed to stand in front
of the cork-board and read every single scrap of information on it. It kept us fully informed

and prepared us for possible answers we could give to questions a customer might ask. I knew
why I was working. I needed money to fund the things that I wanted to do. Other guys were
hoping to take their modeling careers much much farther. As a well established store we had a
daily quota that was expected to be met. It was someones job to find the data for the highest
revenue made within the last 20 years for whichever day it was. On average we were pulling in
$220,000 a day. It was my job as a store model to surpass that even if it was by a mere dollar. We
were only allowed to wear one of two outfits that were pre made for us. I was often given
compliments on my looks and then asked for referrals so they could look as good I did.
Working under the same roof and wearing relatively similar outfits had us thinking in a
form of unity as opposed to solidarity. Often times, managers would confuse names, and even
mix up peoples personalities. We answered to our floor managers, the four of them answered to
Jill, Jill relayed the information to two others, and the information floated up to Rick. All the
managers were in a constant state of communication. If there was silence over the radio there
was a problem. What made me love my manager the most is when he helped me to bypass the
rehiring process. Due to the prestige of the position, if you cant consistently work, theres plenty
of other good looking fish in the sea just dying to get reeled in. Going to college meant that I
would have to resign and hope to be rehired in the summer. My manager Casey reworked the
system so that I would be able to work whenever I came back to Manhattan. He appreciated my
hard work and diligence and rewarded with my job stability.
A couple weeks into my job my grandmother abruptly passed away. This news shocked
my family, and my mother made plans to fly out of the country the very next day. As I shuffled to
work confused I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I clocked in and was greeted with a
smile from Rick. he told me that although I was relatively the newest hiree, I had been personally

recommended to work the day the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch would be visiting. I was ecstatic
but quickly realized that I wouldnt even be in the country. When I clocked out later that day I
managed to muster up the words to tell Jill of my unforseen circumstances. She gave me one
sentence. Just make sure you bring back a copy of the obituary so I have proof. I need to see it,
and if you dont have it there will be consequences Coldly I ventured back home. I tried to
understand the lack of empathy in her response. It affected even after I got back a whole week
later. When I got on the floor it was apparent that my mind was somewhere else. Jill had never
been cold to me before. The one time she did was unfortunately the circumstance where she
probably shouldnt have. To this very day her response sticks with me. When I enter the store I
dodge her, and when she corners me, I answer her question and nothing more. One wrong
sentence at the wrong time ruined the love I had for my job.

Ethics are defined to be a code of moral principles and values that govern the behaviors
of a person or group, with respect to what is right and wrong. Ethics, ultimately, are the moral
standards that a manager relies on in order to make a decision on something, such as deciding on
a process to complete an organizational task. When an organization is able to maintain a high set
of ethics as it conducts its business, it can provide benefits to everyone (Bennett). For example, if
a company decides to maintain records of transactions, managers are able to see how the
company is progressing, or if the company is digressing, and can ultimately make a decision on
how they want their company to operate going forward. Going along with this, ethics are also
criteria on how the public judges you. If a business is taking unethical actions, then that business
loses credibility, thus causing the business to suffer (Bennett). It is an organizations obligation to
make decisions and take actions that will enhance the welfare and interests of society and the
organization, or corporate social responsibility.

There are many reasons why a successful company needs to have high ethical standards.
These standards can boost morale within an organization and its employees (Bennett), knowing
that they are going about business the correct way. It can also help attract new customers, and
maintain high customer loyalty (Bennett). People are more willing to spend their money at places
that go about business the correct way, and not companies that do things such as money
laundering or mistreat employees. Positive ethics also reduce the risk of negative backlash
against an organization caused by doing the wrong things (Bennett). Too many times
organizations run into legal problems trying to seek compensation for losses by making unethical
decisions, such as falsifying financial records.
Of course, all of this means nothing if managers are unable to clearly communicate their
ethics with their employees. If employees are unaware of their organizations ethics, then they
won't know what standards they are supposed to be held to and could potentially go about do
something the wrong way. There are many ethical principles that all successful organizations
need to adhere to and hold themselves accountable for (Bennett).
Honesty is very important. All members of an organization need to be honest about their
actions in order to build trust, not only within the organization, but also to customers and other
companies (Bennett). People are hesitant to do business with a company that is dishonest,
because they dont know if what they are told is the truth. Being an ethical executive means that
you do not deceive others by misrepresenting or exaggerating facts (Bennett).
To go along with building trust, maintaining a high level of personal integrity is also very
important. In terms of business, integrity is having a consistent character that is demonstrated by
an alignment of thoughts, words, and actions (Bennett). An organization needs to stand by the
moral code that they believe in, and its a manager's responsibility to make sure that this code is

lived up to. This sometimes requires an organization to own up to their mistakes and fix them.
Companies that tend to deviate from their ethics begin to lose trust within their organization, and
thus, suffer for it.This is also in accordance with the morale and recognition aspect that
businesses strive to achieve.
Would you trust someone with dishonest intentions? A business is an enormous entity that
is envisioned to progress in synonomity. Each and every part of the machine has to be
functioning correctly for this to happen. Of course, it is also possible to advance towards goals
that are inappropriate. In October 2001, the American energy company Enron
Corporation(Enron), was revealed to have been forging accounts and producing fraudulent
numbers. Upon further investigation it became blatantly apparent that the sixth largest energy
company in the world was actually suffering a loss of $618 million. They had overstated by
several million dollars. To add insult to injury, any executives involved in the scheme sold their
stock prior the downfall, but those lower tier employees were not allowed to due to 401k
limitations. These troubles still plague the company to this very date!
The moment the curtain lifted, and Enrons deceitful dealings were on display, they
subsequently relinquished all integrity that they had. The 7th biggest energy company on the
planet went from having shares worth $90.75 (8/23/2000) to $0.57(12/31/2001) not even
two years later. Had the executives not lied to and stolen from the company and its employees
this could have been avoided. Enron will have the utmost difficulty regaining momentum
because consumers no longer trust them, Doubt is the enemy of companies but the angel on the
shoulder of the consumer.
Your word is one of the most important tools in a business managers arsenal (Bennett).
This means that you have to stick to the next principle, keeping any promises that you make. The

more a manager is able to stick to a commitment made, the more trust a manger builds. Thus,
more people like doing business with you, and will create more success for your company. As
stated before, customers who cant trust you will be less willing to conduct business with you. As
a manager, you cant ever go back on your word to get out of a commitment made, you have to
just do what you said you were going to do (Bennett).
Another important ethical code that a company needs to follow is loyalty. You need to be
loyal to your company, your team, and yourself. This is not only another way to built trust, but
showing loyalty can also place a high value of improving both the company and your
subordinates (Bennett). However, it is important as a manager that you dont let loyalty cloud
your judgment. If a worker is not living up to company standards, then action must take place in
order to get that worker to where he/she needs to be. This is important for company growth and
development. An example of showing good loyalty in organization is during a time of change.
Older employees might be resistant to changing what they have been doing for a period of time,
so it is important for managers to guide them through change, not just dispose of them.
An ethical manager is one who is fair and just to all employees (Bennett). These
managers do not seek to use their power to take advantage of subordinates to gain an edge, such
as give away responsibilities they are responsible for. All employees must be accountable for
their actions, and discipline must suit the crime. An ethical manager does not discriminate
against employees, and is open- minded to opinions from all employees. An example of an
executive being unfair in punishment would be Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National
Football League. When Ray Rice assaulted his wife in an elevator, he initially received a two
game suspension. However, when Tom Brady was accused of deflating air from footballs, he
initially received a four game suspension. Obviously, domestic violence is way more severe than

deflating footballs, but Rice received a smaller suspension.wasnt? If that CEO didnt accept the
responsibility for the company calamity would surely
Another basic moral code is caring. Caring involves having a concern for and a sense of
compassion for others (Bennett). Good managers are able to realize that there is an impact on
every stakeholder following a decision, and takes into account possible consequences of
decisions (Bennett). When employees feel like they are an important part of their organization,
they generally are more dedicated to their work and are more willing to accept responsibility. It
is imperative that managers find a way to keep everyone involved in tasks, and takes into
account their opinions.
Accountability plays a key role in differentiating lower tier employees from those who
rank higher. For example, a CEO is held to higher level of accountability than that of an entry
level employee. At first glance this may appear to be common knowledge, however, what if it
ensue. On June 18, 2014, clothing giant American Apparel, announced the official firing of CEO
Dov Charney. His dismissal was brought on by an inquiry into alleged misconduct. Charney
had already been on thin ice due to claims of him hiring illegal immigrants in 2009. Between
decisions settled in and out of court, Charneys reputation was sullied by his own actions. His
firing led to the hiring of Paula Schnieder,who had success at a myriad of other fashion
companies before American Apparel. His actions caused company stocks to plummet 47.18
percent (Laura Entis 2004) that year. These are the repercussions of a CEO who doesnt hold
himself accountable for the fate of those who follow him. Paula Schnieder was successful
elsewhere because she held herself to the standards of a leader. This works both ways however.
An employee that doesnt accept their position can cause turmoil for everyone as well.

By understanding your role in a company, you can help to lead it progressively as a

team. Those who arent on the same frequency become hindrances. Imagine putting headphones
on to listen to your favorite song, only to hear five or six others playing at the same time.
Absolute chaos. If an employee attempts to override the power of the leader it sets the entire
chain ablaze. Now you have other employees who dont want to listen, workers start choosing
sides, and progress is seemingly impossible. Each person in a company is accountable for
themselves even down to the simplest task.
Every company has an almost set and predetermined goal that they are trying to achieve.
In most cases this goal would be profit. In certain cases however, profit may not be the goal, and
something else is being strive towards. That being said, the second goal is clear cut amongst any
business that wants to be successful, and that is to be recognizable. A brand that is recognizable
is like free marketing. Nike has the check, Apple has the apple, and Restaurants are no exception
to the rule. Two golden arches combining in the center means one thing. McDonalds. This
recognition can be both a positive consumer influence, or a negative stimuli. If your brand
carries a respectable reputation customers are more apt to purchase from items you sell. This
starts at home base.

Training employees to be respectful and caring to customers will go a long way. The
negatives tend to outweigh any prior positives when it comes to spending money, so that one
sarcastic How can I help you?, may very well be the breaking point of a sale. Business can
help prevent this by enacting a company code of conduct, morals, or values. An example of this
can be found in the Resident Life wing of Fels Center. A
giant board clad in the schools green color can be seen
hanging on the wall in a spot that forces you to notice it.
The first sentence reads in all bold lettering I
am a Bison today. and ends with I am a Bison
today.In between these two important statements lie the
qualifications of what it means to be a Bison. If a
student were to venture off campus and display
exemplary etiquette it would certainly reflect well on the
college.

How do you communicate with two very different people from two very different
generations? As a manager it seems that bridging the gap is equivalent to traversing the distance
between the earth and sun. The three main generations in the workforce are currently the Baby
Boomers (Born 1946-1964), Generation X (Born 1965-1980), and the Millennials (Born
1981-1997). The Baby Boomers in the workforce are generally the veterans of the company.
They are gearing to leave relatively soon. Those that belong to Generation X still have some
odd years to go. It is still possible for them to change professions relatively flexibly. The
Millennials are the up and coming workforce. They are presently being integrated into the

business world. These respective generations come with their own baggage, a respective set of
beliefs unique to each era.
This means that differences may present themselves a lot more often than similarities
would. As a high ranking employee it is up to you to try your best to appeal to all three of these
factions while simultaneously managing to be all inclusive. A key difference between generations
is the concept of reward. Starting with the Millennial era, the idea of reward is heavily valued as
time off. Regressing further back in time a change of value transpires, and once youve reached
the beginning of the Boomer era, the reward concept has completely change and is now valued
as money.
A one size fits all approach isnt suitable here because each generation has a different
perception of what a reward is and or should be. When dealing with
Gen Xers it becomes extremely difficult due to their placement in
the middle of the spectrum. Theres no telling what combination of
boomer and or millennial they are. How can a business be
successful if rewarding has become so cumbersome? Empathy is the
ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy is a
timeless value that has survived the countless generation refinements
that have taken place. More than anything, human beings love it when
they truly believe that someone cares, or that someone is going
through the same situation as them. This is incredibly prevalent in the
workplace. Upper tier employees are often taught to separate their
work selves and theirpersonal selves. This helps them get
accustomed to wielding their shiny new title as unbiasedly as possible.

It also helps to clarify gaps in rank. An employee who only looks at his manager solely as his
boss, is less likely to be insubordinate, than if he knew the manager personally. Empathy helps to
shed the negative connotation that being in a position of power carries. It allows you to connect
on a much deeper level than work titles allow.