Islamic foundations

Indicators of work ethic in work place

a. Self-control

The first sign of work ethic is piety and self-control. In other words, when a revolutionary person takes care of himself or herself, he or she has passed the first step in work ethic. Khamenei states about this matter '' take care of yourself and purify your soul''.
He considers piety as duty of all people and states
''We should modify ourselves and our behaviors, apply all of our endeavor to improve ourselves, recite the verses of God and try to approach God. In fact, this is our duty and helps us to do our duty for people and the society best. Moreover, all of people have social duties and should consider personal and moral duties essential affairs''.

b. Avoidance of personal interests and secularism

Khamenei states '' one of human plights is greed and secularism. Of course, secularism is not only greed for money, but most of persons have greed for power, avarice and sexual lusts; all of these are all considered as secularism. In fact, their reason is greed and this is our plight in the world. We should observe our actions in the life''.

c. Avoidance of laxity and negligence

Khamenei states about importance of avoiding laxity and negligence in management
''I think that three things are important for persons in charge; one of them is preparation and sense of responsibility. You should be prepared for action; laxity, negligence and leaving affairs to province and fate are plights that may prevent managers from enough qualification. Diligence in affairs, stress for doing duties and sense of responsibility for fulfilling assigned obligations are crucial''.
He considers one of roots of troubles in the life laziness and states '' we have a lot of problems in the country whose root is from two things: neglect, laziness, negligence and our inappropriate ''.

d. Tolerance and endurance

One of important elements and norms of work ethic is endurance. A revolutionary and obliged devout should apply all of their attempts in order to do their duties, do them properly and firmly, avoid laxity and laziness, should not do them incompletely and should not leave them imperfect and incomplete.
Endurance and tolerance in doing responsibilities and affairs as norms of work ethic have Islamic high value. Sagacious God has created the world according to this foundation;
''صُنْعَ اللهِ الَّذي أَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَي‏ءٍAn-Naml/ 88 ''
.''The artistry of Allah, who disposes of all things in perfect order''
Immaculate Imams were tolerant and strong in doing their responsibilities in their sire, fulfilled their obligations perfectly and recommended their followers to it. Messenger of God states
ا''ِذَا عَمِلَ اَحَدُکُمْ عَمَلاً فَلْيُتْقِنْ''
Narrating a Hadith about this matter, Khamenei states
.''''Everyone should do assigned affairs properly and carefully
It has been narrated
''رَحِمَ اللهُ اِمْرَاءً عَمِلَ عَمَلاً فَأتْقَنَهُ''
God mercy be on person that does his or her duties, mental and physical activities, firmly and completely.

e. Trusteeship

A person that accepts a responsibility should be reliable as Quran states
''إنَّ خَيرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْامينُ''
''Truly the best of men for thee to employ is the (man) who is strong and trusty''.
Trusteeship is important in Islam as much as it is equal with faith in God and faith of persons will be accepted if it is accompanied with trusteeship. Quran considers it as one of features of devout persons and states
'' وَالَّذينَ هُمْ لِاَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَ عَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ''
''Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants''. Al-Muminoon/ 8
From point of view of Amir Al-Momenin, all of social responsibilities and different positions of the government are considered as great trusts. He writes one of his agents, Ashath, bin Gheis, in a letter to Azerbaijan
''وَ اِنَّ عَمَلَکَ لَيسَ لَکَ بِطُعْمَةٍ وَلکِنَّهُ في عُنُقِکَ اَمانَةٌ''
Scope of trust is extended and each trust needs its own trusteeship. In other words, divine trusts need attempt and capacity in proportion to their importance. An obliged revolutionary devout person should prove their trusteeship in doing affairs and do not betray in doing accepted responsibilities.

f. Observation of order and avoidance of anarchy

Necessity of work ethic is that a radical devout does his or her obligations in order, according to a plan and without anarchy which is interpreted as discipline.
Order means arrangement, adornment, organization and coherence and discipline also means order, arrangement and correctness, lack of anarchy, organization and adornment. In the culture of rules of Islamic republic of Iran, discipline means practical commitment to veleyat faqih (guardians), Islamic rules and Sunnah, obedience of leader, rules, regulations and orders of officials and managers.
To explain position and importance of order, Hazrat Ali considered order equal with divine piety in last days of his life and states
''اوُصيکُمَا وَ جَميعَ وُلْدي‏ِِ وَ أَهْلي‏ِِ وَ مَنْ بَلَغَهُ کِتَابي‏ِِ بِتَقْوَي اللهِ وَ نَظْمِ أَمْرِکُمْ''
Studying the life of Imam, we can understand clearly that one of effective factors in his life is his education, challenges, appropriate planning, and being in order.
Khamenei states
Order is important and life and soul of a military system is its order. My purpose from order and discipline is not a boring and insipid atmosphere; way of order is important. However, my purpose from order is to apply different emotions and needs along with strong will of a military person in framework of rules and regulations that can make his or her behaviors effective; order should be established in class, sport, war and confrontation with enemies.
Increase of skill and scientific and expertise ability:
We already discussed elaborately that in component of science and knowledge, they are prominent indicators of necessary sciences. Purpose from scientific and specialist skill and ability is efficiency of someone and a person that has accepted responsibility can do it decently with awareness, experience and ability.
Skill and scientific and expertise ability in each job is a rational necessity. Leaving responsibilities to persons that have such features leads to efficiency, use and achieving progress.
God states about Hazrat Yusef in Quran
'' قالَ اجْعَلْني‏ عَلي‏ خَزائِنَ الْارْضِ انّي‏ حَفيظٌ عَليمٌ Yusef/12 ''
(Joseph) said: "Set me over the store-houses of the land: I will indeed guard them, as one that knows (their importance)''.
Messenger of God states about importance of expertise
''مَنْ عَمِلَ عَلَي غَيرِ عِلْمٍ كَانَ مَا يفْسِدُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يصْلِح''
Expertise is an affair that progress is not possible without it. Moreover, commitment and faith in God cannot promote without it and all of persons should try to increase their Knowledge and expertise in their jobs. A revolutionary devout as an effective element has an important role in increase of knowledge and occupational expertise of his or her colleagues.

5. Spirit of group activity

Purpose from spirit of group activity is to have cooperation and collaboration, attendance in group, avoidance of isolation and acceptance of group point of views.
Group activity includes a collection of intelligent, coherent and coordinated activities so that they can achieve common purposes and desirable results.
Necessity of group work is that most of activities cannot be done individually and on the other hand, individual activity is not economical and efficient. Messenger of God states
''وَمَا تَکْرَهُونَ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ فِي فُرْقَةٍ، فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ رَحْمَةٌ وَ فِي الْفُرْقَةِ عَذَابٌ''
References
Group work has three basic references

a. Having spirit of cooperation

In religious literature, the word '' cooperation'' refers to spirit of communion and collaboration. Quran recommends its followers to group communion and collaboration and states
''وَ تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَي الْبِرِّ وَ التَّقْوَي''
''Help ye one another in righteousness and piety''. Al-Maaida/ 5
A revolutionary devout has spirit of cooperation and collaboration and tries to have an effective role in social affairs.

b. Tendency to consultation

One of effective points in area of organization management is not to differentiate between managers and subordinates. If a manager observes this point, forces under his or her management will consider their boss as a colleague. Therefore, forces do their assigned responsibility happily and energetically. In fact, one of ways of achieving this purpose is to have forces share their ideas and consult in decision making. If a force feels that his or her ideas are important in decision making, they can believe themselves and have more sense of responsibility.
Islamic narrations highly emphasize on decision making in affairs. Amir Al-Momenin states
''الِاسْتِشَارَةُ عَينُ الْهِدَايةِ وَ قَدْ خَاطَرَ مَنِ اسْتَغْنَي بِرَأْيه''
Even if a person has high intelligence and sharp mind, they should share their ideas with others and relying on their own thinking and mind and use of only ideas of experts, it will lead to deviation and self-determination. Amir Al-Momenin criticizes self-determination and states
''احْمَقُ النَّاسِ مَنْ ظَنَّ انَّهُ اعْقَلُ النَّاسِ''
In contrast, consultation and cooperation of colleagues in management decisions do not only remove bad effects of self-pivot, but they also allow managers to use thought and mind of others and increase their ability. Amir Al-Momenin states
''مَنْ شاوَرَ ذَوِي الْعُقُولِ اسْتَضاءَ بِانوارِ الْعُقُولِ''
Although Khamenei is commander of chiefs, he considers himself colleague of the commander of the troop '' I had meetings with you, commanders and guardians of the Islamic troop, in last years before the war and after the war, it was my honor that I talked to you from Imam and I never thought that he would not be Imam any more. In fact, I talk to you as colleague still.

c. Acceptance of criticisms

As a general, persons that would like to know their weak points and problems of their affairs, actions and behaviors should not only panic from criticism, but they also welcome it warmly and consider it blessings of God. Persons that want perfection constantly should always remember this precious Hadith of Imam Sadeq
''أَحَبُّ إِخْوَانِي إِلَيَّ مَنْ أَهْدَي إِلَيَّ عُيوبِي''
This exalted and precious train should be considered as a beautiful board above management desk so that he or she express clearly that first, his or her actions are behaviors that are not without weak points and secondly, they are ready to accept any kinds of criticisms. A person that would like to achieve high stages of progress and perfection will not only become distressed and sad from criticisms, but they will also welcome it, will consider it a precious gift and will appreciate it if it is not done with prejudice.
Amir Al-Momenin states in a sagacious statement
''لا تُكَلِّمُوني‏ بِما تُكَلَّمُ بِهِ الْجَبابِرَةُ وَ لا تَتَحَفَّظُوا مِنّي‏ بِما يتَحَفَّظُ بِهِ عِنْدَ اهْلِ الْبادِرَةِ وَلاتُخالِطُوني‏ بِالْمُصانَعَةِ وَ لا تَظُنُّوا بِي اسْتِثْقالًا في‏ حَقٍّ قيلَ لي''
This narration represents that managers of Islamic system and revolutionary and devout persons should not consider themselves perfect and do not allow others to criticize them, but they should insist on others to criticize them and recommend them to assist each other in better management of the organization.
Relationship with colleagues
In Islamic lifestyle, workplace is considered as a part of the life of a radical devout because they spend most of their time there and even stay there all day and night in emergencies and mission. It should be discussed about way of Islamic lifestyle in such places and what indicators are in relation to colleagues in the organization and assigned missions. Existence of missions in early advent of Islam, especially in time of the prophet and Imam Ali, can be useful guidelines about this matter and especially, Islam has mentioned a lot of trains and recommendations about social matters.
Indicator: spirit of brotherhood and benevolence
In Islamic lifestyle, relationship among friends, colleagues and devout persons is interpreted from a general principle and according to interpretation of Quran, it is to have mercy and affection to devout persons; such a thing is a general principle that depicts relationship of colleagues in an organization. The prophet states
''مَثَلُ المُؤمِنينِ فِي تَواَدِّهِم وَ تَرَاحُمِهِم كَمِثلِ الجَسَدِ إِذَا اشتَكي بَعضَهُم تَداَعَي سَائرَهُم بِالسِّهرِ وَ الحَمَي''
One of rational and effective actions of the prophet in early days of migrating Medina was to make brotherhood among migrants and companions. This helped the migrants not to feel estrangement and distress and brotherhood formed among them. Khomeini states about this matter
…''a general pattern for all of us is that we have brotherhood and merciful relationships with each other. They have merciful and affectionate behavior with each other''.