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Blog > Code of Conduct Template: Why You Need One and How to Create It

Code of Conduct Template: Why You Need One and How to Create It

Positive behavior in pursuit of your life mission doesn’t happen by accident. A code of conduct can help you on your path to success.
A notebook with the words “Code of Conduct” written on it, on a desk.

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For many people, the path to success is shaped by their code of conduct. A code of conduct is a well-written, but concise document that outlines a person or organization’s standards or principles for behavior. Many companies and organizations use a code of conduct to define their expectations for their employees, but individuals can also a code of conduct to meet their goals. After all, the expectations you create for yourself have a big impact on your success.

Eighty-four percent of employees believe that a strong company culture—with clear expectations for behavior—is the key to success, and even more executives (94 percent) agree with these employees. If having a strong culture is critical to an organization’s success, why wouldn’t the same be true for individuals?

In the Arootah Success Formula, we encourage you to create a code of conduct to hold yourself accountable to your own standards of behavior; this takes the guesswork out of deciding how you ought to respond in different situations. We also want to add that when creating a code of conduct for your firm, be sure to consider all applicable laws or regulatory requirements. This can include, but isn’t limited to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations, as well as local, state, and federal laws, such as labor practices.

It’s not easy to live by a code, but with a little legwork, a code of conduct can be an excellent tool to help you live out your mission

Defining a Code of Conduct

“Our code of conduct is definitive; it is not negotiable.” — Thomas Monson

Defining a code of conduct is an essential part of creating your own Success Formula. What other people use for their code of conduct might not be a good fit for yours, but everyone still needs a code that supports them in reaching their goals.

A code of conduct is a set of standards of consistent behavior that align with your values and principles. It’s the blueprint of your behavior in any given situation.

In The Success Formula process, we attach a code of conduct to our roles, values, and principles for any given area, category, or sub-category. This code ensures you are always acting within the confines of your beliefs, no matter what you’re doing.

For an organization or company, the code will often come in the form of a written document outlining the means of compliance, standards of public image, and ways of risk mitigation within the organization. You can easily use the same formula for your personal code of conduct.

When thinking about how you’re going to structure your code of conduct, ask yourself questions, such as:

  • How will I comply with the values and principles I’ve chosen for myself?
  • How do I present myself and what I stand for to the world?
  • How do I make sure I never act outside my beliefs?

How to Use a Code of Conduct

In order to create your code of conduct template, begin identifying the areas in your life or company that have the most impact and assigning them a list of action items (or items that must be avoided).

When confronted with issues or obstacles, you can consult your code of conduct as a means of making the best decision possible in alignment with your mission. It’s best to keep this document readily available so you can access it easily and as often as necessary.

Once you choose to create a code of conduct for your personal life, you’ll quickly discover that it keeps you on the path towards your mission. It can also help eliminate distractions that come along the way.

By using the code of conduct to focus on your mission, you’ll no longer need to translate your values and principles into action steps, which may help you to achieve your goals much more efficiently.

Creating your Code of Conduct Template

Your code of conduct template will vary depending on whether you’re using it for personal, professional, or business uses. Your code is also largely informed by your values and principles, which vary greatly from person to person.

As you start to create your code of conduct, you’ll need to compile the following information:

  • Mission statement (or statements)
  • Your core values
  • Principles
  • Areas of your life, divided into categories and sub-categories as needed
  • Your roles in each area, category, and subcategory

Once you’ve gathered these elements, you can start crafting your code of conduct template. Here’s an example of what the template might look like:

Personal

  • Family
  • Spouse
  • Kids
  • Vacations/relaxation
  • Health
  • Exercise
  • Nutrition
  • Personal development

Professional

  • Job
  • Education
  • Certifications
  • Seminars
  • Books & courses
  • Professional Growth

Business

  • Networking
  • Marketing
  • Sales
  • Customer experience
  • Finance
  • Human Resources

Once you’ve created your template, write a short paragraph about the behavior you expect to uphold in each area, category, or sub-category listed. Remember, your values and principles will shape these behaviors.

For example, if you include the value of kindness under the professional area, you might use the principle, “I believe everyone should be treated with kindness at their place of work,” as a reference point for your code of conduct.

Your code of conduct, then, may look something like this:

Professional

  • Job: Everyone I encounter while I’m in my current role will be treated with the same kindness I would expect to receive. This includes anyone I may be supervising, my own superiors, clients, contractors, and anyone else I interact with while serving in this position.

Once you’ve described the behavior you expect from yourself within each area, category, or subcategory, you will have a completed code of conduct. All that’s left to do is follow it.

The Bottom Line

It’s not easy to live by a code, but with a little legwork, a code of conduct can help you live out your mission

Can you imagine a world where everyone was transparent and purposeful about their own behavior? You can start creating that world by setting a good example and completing your own code of conduct. By living out your values and principles in each role of your life, you create a positive impact on the world by showing up for your mission purposefully.

We know this is a lot of information to implement in your life, so we encourage you to take advantage of our free downloadable eBook, The 10 Step Arootah Success Formula. It takes a deeper dive into strategies you can use to improve your life, while offering support and practical tips along the way.

What’s going to be your first step in creating your code of conduct? Where do you need the most help in living out your mission? We want to know, so comment below!

 

 

Sources:

https://builtin.com/company-culture/company-culture-statistics

https://www.ethics.org/resources/free-toolkit/code-of-conduct/

 

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be and should not be taken as professional medical, psychological, legal, investment, financial, accounting, or tax advice. Arootah does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read in our newsletter, blog or anywhere else on our website.

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