50 Ethical Words to Add to Your Conversations

1.      ACCOUNTABLE

a.       Responsibility to someone or for some activity. 

2.      AMBITION

a.       A strong desire to do or achieve something; determination.

3.      ASHAMED

a.       Feeling badly for the wrong you’ve done.

4.      BAD

a.       Unworthy, unwanted; of poor quality; not good in any manner; having a wicked or evil character.

5.      CARING

a.       An attitude or response to the wellbeing and welfare of others; showing them that they matter.

6.      CHARACTER

a.       It’s who you are and how others take you.

7.      CHARITY

a.       Doing good for free.

8.      CONFIDENIALITY

a.       Keeping your eyes on your own work and keeping your mouth shut.

9.      CONFLICT OF INTEREST

a.       Being pulled in two directions and any way you look at it someone’s going to get hurt.

10.  CONSIDERATE

a.       Looking out for the other person.

11.  COOPERATION

a.       Getting along with others and helping others get along with you.

12.  CORRUPT

a.       Working against the good.

13.  DECEPTION

a.       Giving someone the wrong idea.

14.  DUE PROCESS

a.       Having rules and consistently following those rules.

15.  DUTY

a.       Obligation; what you know you must do.

16.  EHTICS/ETHICAL

a.       Morals; fundamental ways for getting along well.

17.  FAIR/FAIR DEAL

a.       Equitable; where parties involved are aware of the deal and comfortable with the results.

18.  FREEDOM

a.       A real opportunity for success or failure.

19.  GENEROUS

a.       Giving extra.

20.  GOOD

a.       Worthy of public acclaim; it’s what people nod their heads to and say “well done”.

21.  GREEDY

a.       You want more, you need more; you don’t know how to share.

22.  HAPPINESS

a.       A state of well-being and contentment.

23.  HARM

a.       To do or cause harm to; physical or moral injury.

24.  HONESTY

a.       Tell the truth; don’t lie.

25.  HONORABLE

a.       Dedicated to being better; to be straight forward and true.

26.  HUMILITY

a.       No matter how special you are you don’t go around bragging about it.

27.  HUMOR

a.       The quality of being amusing or comic.

28.  INTEGRITY

a.       Walking the talk.

29.  KINDNESS

a.       Gentle consideration of others.

30.  LOYALTY

a.       A strong feeling of support and allegiance.

31.  MERCY

a.       Forgiving the past; intentionally letting go for a reason.

32.  MORAL COURAGE

a.       Doing the right thing even when it’s difficult, unpopular, or comes at a cost.

33.  MORALS/MORALITY

a.       Ethics; fundamental ways for getting along well.

34.  NOBLE

a.       High-minded; striving for excellence.

35.  PATIENCE

a.       It’s a matter of pace; the ability to adjust to others.

36.  PERSISTENCE

a.       Strong will; never giving up, giving in, or giving out.

37.  PRIDE

a.       Feeling good about yourself and what you do.

38.  PRINCIPALS

a.       Rules for living a good life.

39.  PRUDENT

a.       Being practical.

40.  REDEMPTION

a.       Giving someone a second chance.

41.  RELIABLE

a.       Credible; Dependable.

42.  RESPECT

a.       Recognizing value in yourself, in others, and in the world.

43.  RESPONSIBILITY

a.       What you’re in charge of.

44.  RIGHT

a.       Correct and proper.

45.  STEALING

a.       Taking something that isn’t yours.

46.  TOLERANT

a.       Showing willingness to opinions or behaviors that you don’t necessarily agree with.

47.  TRUST/TRUSTWORTHY

a.       An expectation that others won’t harm you; being worthy of trust.

48.  VALUES

a.       The things that are important to us.

49.  VIRTUE

a.       Excellence of character.

50.  WRONG

a.       Not correct or true; unjust, dishonest, or immoral.   

Questions to guide your conversations around ethical behavior

51.   What does _______ mean?  What does this _______ mean to you? 

52.   What does _______ look like?

53.   Is _______ positive or negative?

54.   What are ways that people practice _________?  What are ways that you practice _________?

55.   Why is it important to practice/not practice _________?

56.   What good/bad comes from practicing __________?

57.   How does it feel when someone expresses ___________ to you?

58.   Who are some people in your life that practice ___________?

59.   When do you practice __________ in school?  Outside of school? 

60.   How can you practice/not practice _________ over the next week?

teammates.org/postsecondary/files/2011/07/50-Ethical-Words.docx

If you desire the book available on Amazon...

Ethinary: An Ethics Dictionary: 50 Ethical Words to Add to Your Conversations by Beverly Kracher Ph.D. and Jerry Stegeman (Sep 23, 2011)