Constructing an Ethical Framework: Embracing Humanism for a Simpler Life

 In our quest for personal growth and fulfillment, we often find ourselves seeking an ethical framework to guide our decisions and actions. The journey towards constructing such a framework can be challenging, but fear not, for there is a philosophy that resonates with countless individuals around the world—Humanism.

In this blog post, we will explore the principles of Humanism as a powerful ethical foundation and introduce you to an online course called "Living Made Simpler," which offers invaluable guidance in aligning your life with Humanistic values.

Understanding the Search for an Ethical Framework:

Many people embark on a search for an ethical framework to navigate the complexities of life. We yearn for a set of principles that can guide us through moral dilemmas, personal growth, and meaningful relationships. While various options exist, one philosophy has emerged as a beacon of hope for those seeking a comprehensive ethical worldview—Humanism.

The Essence of Humanism:

At its core, Humanism is the applied study of what it means to be a good human being. It places value on human reason, ethics, and compassion, emphasizing the potential for growth and flourishing in each individual. Humanism seeks to cultivate a worldview that embraces compassion, critical thinking, responsibility in service of human flourishing. It promotes the idea that humans have the capacity to create meaning and purpose in life by embracing reason and acting with kindness and fairness towards others.

Why Humanism Resonates:

Humanism resonates with individuals from diverse backgrounds because it offers a framework that celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of all people. It encourages us to prioritize empathy, social justice, and the pursuit of knowledge, aligning our actions with values that promote human welfare and the betterment of society. By embracing Humanism, we can find clarity and direction in our ethical decision-making processes.

Introducing "Living Made Simpler" Online Course:

To help you navigate the path towards constructing an ethical framework rooted in Humanism, I've created the "Living Made Simpler" online course. This comprehensive course, offered by Humanist Learning Systems, provides practical tools and insights to apply Humanistic principles to your everyday life.

It was originally created as a 6 week program. it is comprised of 6 video lessons. and covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Understanding the foundations of Humanism and its ethical implications.
• Developing critical thinking skills to navigate ethical dilemmas effectively.
• Cultivating empathy and compassion in personal relationships and interactions.
• Applying Humanistic principles to social justice and ethical activism.
• Creating a life that aligns with your values and promotes personal growth and fulfillment.

"Living Made Simpler" offers a transformative learning experience. Whether you are new to Humanism or seeking to deepen your understanding of its ethical framework, this course provides invaluable guidance and practical tools to incorporate Humanistic principles into your daily life.

Constructing an ethical framework for yourself is a significant step towards personal growth and leading a more fulfilling life. By embracing Humanism and its principles, you can establish a robust foundation that promotes reason, empathy, and social justice. Through the "Living Made Simpler" online course, you have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of Humanism and apply its ethical framework to every aspect of your life. Take this empowering journey, embrace Humanistic values, and experience the transformative impact it can have on your life and the lives of those around you.

Enroll Now

To enroll in the "Living Made Simpler" course and embark on a journey towards constructing an ethical framework rooted in Humanism, visit the official website:  https://humanistlearning.com/livingmadesimpler1/. 

Harmony in Diversity and Diversity in Harmony

 I had the great pleasure to talk ethics with my friend Masroor Lodi, he founder of ‘The Entrepreneurship School’ in India. The context was a program on how to teach teachers to teach values in the classroom. I met Masroor Lodi on a trip I took to India where I spoke at a Happy Workplace Conclave put on by my friend Mukund Trivedy.

Here is a link to the program so you can see what we talked about:  http://humanisticmanagement.international/teaching-teachers-to-teach-values-masroor-lodi/  That page includes links to the resources we discussed and a downloadable copy of his presentation. 

One of the things Masroor talked about that really resonated with me was about creating harmony in diversity and - diversity in Harmony.

Moral Imagination

He said that one of the ways to move forward with diverse groups and help them build cohesion is by accepting different actions as different ways to express shared values.

Values like – respect – are expressed as different behaviors in different cultures.  For instance, looking at someone and making eye contact vs. looking down and avoiding eye contact. It’s the same value, just expressed as different behavior.

 Part of the way to help create harmony in diversity  is to talk and discuss and learn from each other. And the best way to do that is to start from a point that everyone is moral. 

I love this as it is consistent with my way of being as a Humanist. Being a humanist to me means, treating everyone with dignity and understanding that they are moral beings, even when I don't understand their behavior. 

Imagine how much easier it is to deal with conflicts when you start by assuming the other person is behaving in a way they think is moral. And then, instead of treating them as if they are immoral, asking them questions to understand the morality that is driving their behavior.  I know that's how I want to be treated.

To do this well he encouraged us to increase our moral imaginations and to look at people's behavior, as moral and to try and understand their morality. 

Primary Values:

Another way people have trouble with diversity, is that they value different things. This is especially difficult in work groups. Everyone has the same values, but what is the primary value?  This can vary from person to person or from workgroup to workgroup.

I related to this because of a personal experience I had when working at a tower company. At one point we purchase the towers from Motorola.  With that purchase came employees. And this is where we had a primary value clash. 

What was valuable in a tower to Motorola, was not what we at our company valued.  To fix this, we had to be explicit about what made a tower valuable and to discuss the competing ideas of what made a tower valuable until we came to a shared understanding. 

Don't ever assume that everyone is on the same page. Explicitly discussing values and what is valuable in a work setting, helps create harmony in diversity. No one has to feel like their values aren't valued. That's the beauty of these conversations. Everyone's values matter. But if we listen respectfully, we can create consensus on what values we value the most in a given work situation. 

This can be done explicitly and should be done explicitly. Get in the habit of discussing what values are being invoked in decision making. You will find staff more engaged and more openly moral. 

Moral Code Switching:

The final thing he talked about that I want to share here has to do with moral code switching.  Behaviors of values may differ in different context. This is code switching. 

Examples might be things that are acceptable in personal life, not be acceptable in the workplace and vice versa. 

Again, the solution Masroor Lodi suggests, is to be explicit about the problem and re-affirm shared values and expectations in the given situation you find yourself in.  In a work environment, having a conversation about the moral values helps employees bring their personal values into the work environment and that in turn, should help people, behave more ethically with each other and see the morality of colleagues more clearly.

I want to thank Masroor for taking the time to discuss explicit ethics with me and the idea of using ethics to create harmony in diversity. 

How to get leaders to adopt humanistic values in the workplace

When challenged with poor behaviors by leaders in power who do not ascribe to Humanistic values, what is a good way to address the behavior without  coming across as "beating the humanist drum" against the traditional top-down structures/directives and mindsets?  How can we enroll them in our perspective?

I was the guest on the International Humanistic Management Professionals Lunch and Learn last August 2019.  I spoke about how to create more effective and ethical businesses using applied Humanism, which is - also the title of my latest book. https://www.businessexpertpress.com/books/applied-humanism-how-to-create-more-effective-and-ethical-businesses/



The question of how to get managers and leaders on board with this is the question - everyone pushing for positive change faces. It doesn't matter who important the change is - people resist it - so how do we get them on board?

I have three thoughts about the question posed.

1) You can't control other people, you can only control yourself: This isn't just an organizational philosophy. It's a personal philosophy. So - live your values, even if other people do not. You don't need permission from ANYONE to behave in an ethical and dignified way. Don't let the recalcitrance of others - prevent you from being the good ethical person you want to be. In other words, live your truth. Be an example of what good ethical humanistic leaders should be - EVEN if you aren't yet in a leadership position. If you want to be in a leadership position - act like it.

2) Understand that change is hard and that even if people want to get on board - it will be hard for them to do so. Focus less on the people in your way and focus more on the people who are on board. I have always found that there are indeed people who want things to improve and if I work with them - we can make positive changes and the people who think they have the power to stop you - don't really have that power. So - don't give them that power. Look for the people who want to help - and work with them and be polite and dignified and positive with the naysayers and encourage them to join your group and be ok if they don't. That's their journey - not yours. Yours - focus on the people who are allies and work with them. Eventually - the people who were trying to stand in the way will either join you - or be unable to prevent the change you created.

Note: this is the same advice I give to kids who are being bullies. It is very easy to focus on the bully and make them the focus of your thinking. But if you step outside that - and REALLY look around - you will see there are more kids on the playground and may of them are alone and isolated too. If you can work up the courage to make friends with the isolated people - you can create a new group that the bully has no ability to control. Yes. This works.

3) Treat the naysayer with compassion. You have no idea why they think the things they do. You have no idea what they have experienced. What disappointments they have experienced. What bullying situations they have endured. Don't assume you do. And don't assume you know who these people are or what they are thinking.  If you are speaking to them - instead of insisting on your way - why not ask them questions so that you can better understand them and their way?  And yes - I do have a course on this called - Socratic Jujitsu - https://humanistlearning.com/socratic-jujitsu/

Don't beat the humanist drum. Act like a Humanist, which means - you don't try to convince people you are right, you try to create - collaboration. The other person's resistance - is valid - to them. Find out what they want and help them get that - and they will become your biggest fan.

Honestly, the only time I have trouble with people is when I have bypassed people and not included them in a collaboration. And sometimes you have to do that - but don't assume you do - until you give them a chance to work positively with you.  Just - don't give them all your time. Reward people who are behaving positively with your positive attention. When the negatives try to get your attention - give them your compassionate attention - and encourage them to join you - but give them time. Eventually - they usually come around. It's rare that they won't. So don't write them off - but don't nag them either.

Hope this helps.   I have an online certificate program in Humanistic Leadership if you want to learn these skills - and yes - the socratic jujitsu course is included in the certificate program - https://humanistlearning.com/certified-humanistic-leadership-professional/