Rights and Obligations

post # 262 — December 15, 2006 — a Managing, Strategy post

I have long held a theory that organizations ought to have (enforced) â€œrights and obligationsâ€ that each of their members (ie employees at any level) must follow. Hereâ€™s a first attempt to draft a sensible â€œrights and obligationsâ€ list for a professional business.

Members of the organization have an obligation to:

Act with integrity and high ethical standards at all times

Serve client first, firm second, themselves last

Continuous self-improvement (no cruising)

Preserve reputation of the firm

Reach out for additional responsibility

Take the initiative

Help others (that report to them) succeed

Be a team player

Work hard

Treat all people as valuable members of the “team”.

Treat all professionals with trust and respect.

Cooperate with everyone within and between departments.

Delegate work to the appropriate level.

Members have rights to:

Stretching assignments

Be kept informed of whatâ€™s going on in the organization

Be treated with respect

Know the criteria by which they will be assessed

A good understanding of the overall goals and objectives of our firm.

Freedom to make the necessary decisions to do their work properly.

Be kept informed about the things THEY need to know to do their job properly.

Input on issues that affect their work.

The resources necessary to provide high quality client service.

Understand how their compensation is determined.

Work that makes good use of their knowledge and ability.

Work that has variety, interest and challenge

Encouragement and opportunity to learn new skills

A clear understanding of their responsibilities.

Useful performance feedback throughout the year.

High quality of on-the-job training.

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What would YOU add or delete for an ideal professional business?