The Ethics of Human Development Training Program

The Ethics of Human Development Training Program teaches the ethics that further both personal and organizational growth. (Click on the above books for additional details.)

Here is what Jane Matheson, PhD and former CEO of Woods Homes in Calgary, Alberta said of the program:

“Wood’s Homes was named one of the 100 Great Places to Work in Canada and one of the 25 Best Places for Women to Work. I truly feel that part of this success was due to the concepts Dr. Thomas presents in his ethics program… Over the years the creativity around these ethics has been, to my mind, quite remarkable.”

The Ethics of Human Development Training Program consists of the following:

    • The twelve ethics of human development plus their corollaries
    • Rationales for each ethic and corollary
    • Exercises for bringing the ethics and related concepts to life.
    • Role-playing scripts for enacting ethical dilemmas
    • Workbook questions for personalizing the meaning of each ethic/corollary
    • The One Week Report for assessing the one-week effects of training
    • The Evaluation and Feedback Report allowing trainees to assess their satisfaction with themselves and with the organization on ethics of human development measures

When implemented within an organization, the training program is designed to help leadership–and all others involved, as well–to build an ethical organizational culture.

Kelly Foster Griffin, NBCT, former President, Organization of American Kodály Educators:

“I discovered (the ethics) serving on a national board . . . nearly every paragraph had a golden nugget of important information. Since then, we have used the ethics before the start of our board meetings to remind us to think about the best interests of the organization and to leave roadblocks to progress behind.” 

To date, approximately five thousand individuals have been through the day-long Ethics of Human Development Training Program (sometimes offered in two half-days or in smaller segments).

Here is a sampling of participant comments:

    • Your ethics course was wonderful. It is one of the most thought-provoking programs I have attended, either professionally or for pleasure.
    • Being inspired to think and discuss higher issues that occur daily. It was a treat for the brain.
    • Very thought-provoking – allows for introspection as well as giving ideas to better one’s self.
    • The exercises/visuals hit home. Information that can help people grow positively.
    • The workshop gave us cause to examine some very worthwhile aspects of life that otherwise we seldom take time to evaluate. Pointed out where I can make personal change that can make a difference for the organization.
    • The speaker, the topics – so interesting. All the knowledge shared, all the quotes. It’s been great.
    • Genuine spirit of personal regard for all members.
    • An honest holistic approach which focuses on personal integrity.

While I continue to do the training on occasion, I am most interested in the following:

    • Disseminating the training program to others who could do the training in their organizations. Toward that end, I wrote The Ethics of Human Development Training Program: The Complete Guide (see above). This book provides the information and guidance needed to conduct the training (or, at the very least, conduct ethics of human development discussions). I encourage those who might be interested to order The Complete Guide.
    • Selling the program in its entirety to a training company interested in marketing the program and, as well, in developing it further for, among other things, online applications. The Complete Guide provides the thinking behind the program as well as program contents and components.
    • Finally, I would like for school districts and colleges to consider incorporating Right Livelihood: The Twelve Ethics of Work into their curricula. This book introduces students—by means of a dialogue between a young man and his uncle—to the ethics of human development.

For more on the Ethics of Human Development, go here.

David Thomas, PhD