Slide pack 3

Question 1

What are the principles of someones character , give examples

Answer 1

Principles are the founding blocks to someone’s characters - principles need to be sound and strong for a strong character
EX: Openness to thought, persuasion, listening, open to discussion. Courage to action

Question 2

What are the obstacles to behavioural and cultural progress

Answer 2

Hubris (having too much confidence towards the unhealthy level), ego and brutality - If the self-confidence is unhealthy this may lead to having hubris to an extent that an individual may never feel they are wrong.

Question 3

Why is character important in a professional context

Answer 3

It’s important and a person’s character will dictate how they deal with scenarios and the actions they take

Question 4

Cultural constraints on progress

Answer 4

Attachment to the status quo Existing power structures based on self-interest - Protect the establishment
Rigid Hierarchies - Don’t upset the balance of power
Some of these constraints can be in place for a long time and hard to oevrcome.

Question 5

What is needed in a individual to overcome cultural constraints

Answer 5

Courage, strong benevolence(kindness), and justice (doing the right and best thing)

Question 6

What are behavioural contraints on progress

Answer 6

Conformist character- someone who conforms to the system - no fighting back or pushing back against a particular culture.
Brute - their way or highway. Very strong-willed. This can be quite damaging when brutes become leaders in organisations.

Question 7

What is a citizen

Answer 7

The ideal character and behaviour which can overcome natural obstacles to progress is defined as being a citizen

Question 8

What four categories can behaviour be divided into

Answer 8

Citizen
Egoist
Conformist
Brute

Question 9

Describe the citizens character

Answer 9

Traits: Responsible, self-reliant, self-ruling, polite
They can engage thought and use reason
They apply themselves beyond their self-interest for the greater good and have general propionate care for other people
Taking pride in something is part of a team
Having the ability to tell when something is wrong and when something is not right and to react accordingly
Skilled and knowledgable and a natural innovator
Have integrity

Question 10

What is the citizen view on progress?

Answer 10

They aim for progress and their superego (the ethical component of the personality) has a bigger influence on them than their ego
They are often reformers and courageous to take on brutish behaviours although they are winners so will not become needless martyrs or if something doesn’t feel right

Question 11

What are citizens ethics?

Answer 11

Their ethics are based on doing the right/best thing and focusing on the quality of the result.
They are most powerful when working with other citizens.
Freedom for a citizen is a virtue to be won rather than something that can be given and it is mostly defined as the opportunity to make ethical progress.
They are willing to unpick the narrative for the greater good
Democracy idea

Question 12

Describe the traits of an egoist

Answer 12

Traits: Responsible self-reliant, self-ruling
Engage in thought and use reason
Their effort to participate beyond their self-interest, and the interests of others, can be marginal or non-existent
They are more open to actions for selfish reasons
By failing to fully know and rule themselves, egoists create a power vacuum - they can be open to having a tyrant fill this vacuum as long as their interests are being met
Democracy is not possible with them

Question 13

What are an egoists ethics?

Answer 13

Based On doing the right thing for them and based mostly on the result rather than efforts or intentions
Their ethics are based on the principle of minding your own business
Freedom is seen as the opportunity to accumulate wealth without obstacles
Only challenge the narrative when either the price is not too high

Question 14

What is an egoists view on progress

Answer 14

Egoists will strive to take the most progressive path but only to the extent that their interests are aligned toward doing so,
Their behaviour poses a risk when their interests are misaligned with the common interest

Question 15

Describe the traits of the conformist character

Answer 15

Conformists cannot, or will not, rule themselves
They prefer not to engage in thought and fully use their reason.
They are inclined to sacrifice some freedom in return for reducing their responsibility.
Better regulation requiring more of the conformists can be likely to improve the quantity of work carried out by them
They create a bigger power vacuum than Egoists
Project their negativity onto others

Question 16

Conformists view on progress

Answer 16

Happy to fit in and have no aspirations to move up the ranks in an organisation
They seek security through being dependent on a boss/employer, to have a quieter life.
They are unlikely to initiate significant progress

Question 17

What are the ethics of a confromist

Answer 17

Their ethics are based on what’s good in the norm.
They are based on good intentions, with some ego distortion likely, rather than on the quality of the result.
They usually have some degree of expectation that others should give things to them
They only carry out analyses within their narrative as challenging the narrative is considered too dangerous
Freedom for them is having less responsibility
Adapt to any environment without integrity for good or bad
Action and courage are mostly absent from conformist narratives

Question 18

Character traits of a brute

Answer 18

They are cowards who are typically enemies to anyone better than themselves
Brutes typically want to bring things down to their level.
Power vacuums are likely to attract or necessitate brutes for reasons of expediency.
Freedom is about unconditionally getting what they want.
Brutes are not empathetic at all

Question 19

How does a brute contribute to progress

Answer 19

Their behaviour is the biggest obstacle to progress. - Want to be left alone and focus on their own work.
Brutes will strive to get the most for them from any actions that they take that are pretentiously put forward as progressive

Question 20

What are the ethics of a brute

Answer 20

Ethics are based on getting what they want once they have any excuse (even nonsense) to justify their actions
They look after their interest with no regard for others
No regard for conforming to norms ex: regulations
Brute then create their own narratives - They start to believe their own view of things as absolute

Question 21

Compare the four character types in terms of view of friendship

Answer 21

Citizen:See its value
Egoist: Friends that validate their feeling of ego
Conformist:Not going to fall out with anyone with no friends
Brute: Not important

Question 22

Compare the four character types in terms of view of Making decisions

Answer 22

Citizen: Makes the correct decision as quickly as possible
Egoist: Makes decision thats good for their ego
Conformist: Indecisive
Brute: - No consultation with anyone

Question 23

Compare the four character types in terms of view of Equality

Answer 23

Citizen: Equality is an important thing to have in a successful business
Egoist: See themselves as better than everyone else. Equality is unimportant
Conformist: Indifferent
Brute: May feel they are living in their own world.

Question 24

Compare the four character types in terms of view of Money

Answer 24

Citizen: Interested to an extent but thinking about the greater good
Egoist: Matters but not the complete thing - its a badge to further their ego
Conformist: - happy
Brute: I deserve to be paid idea, Money can become a dangerous motivator

Question 25

Compare the four character types in terms of view of Hope

Answer 25

Citizen: Has big aspirations for progress. Optimistic
Egoist: Egosit will have huge hopes in unhealthy manner. Theyd be happy for others not to do well for themselves to succeed.
Conformist: happy to fit in - no aspirations
Brute:Also unhealthy hopes as they would be happy for others to be put down to achieve their goals.

Question 26

Compare the four character types in terms of happiness

Answer 26

Citizen: Happy
Egoist: Ego need constantly their ego to be boosted to be happy
Conformist: They will not have will/desire to create their own path. Shielding themselves is happiness
Brute: Brute needs attention too and are often acting out to cover up their own insecurities. Underlying unhappiness

Question 27

Describe the know yourself test

Answer 27

Actuarial tool to assess ethical behvaiour. Different psychological perspectives are assumed to be associated with different ethical behaviours. An individual’s behaviour is assessed according to the extent to which they hold certain different perspectives. Forty such perspectives are used in the test.
Broad method for assessing risk-taking and risk management

Question 28

Explain the idea of team ego

Answer 28

People are influenced by teams or groups they work with
Firstly, important to have the correct tone from the top in sense of the effect it has on the culture of an organisation
People do not exist independently - especially in a work context its rare to be isolated