Living Ethically: Applying Ethics to Decision Making - Essay Sample

Introduction

There are various ways of conduct that individuals follow in their daily lives and which they use to determine their decision making processes, among other things. These ways of conduct may be behaviors that the individuals learn from others, the moral beliefs and practices they acquire from the people around them as well as the religious practices which the law of religion dictates to be followed. Discussed herein are ways through which one can apply ethics in their lives in areas of decision making, among other such areas. The code of ethics, as defined in ethical behaviors, refers to the expected moral behaviors in which the individuals should conduct themselves. In other words, it can be defined as the set of rules and specifications which contains a particular set procedure through which people should conduct themselves applying it in the making of important decisions. In this regard, the code of ethics is derived from the positive and morally upright behaviors and practices which are expected from the people in the society, in a religion and other settings of life.

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Resource managers need to think about ethics because ethics act as a guide to the way these resource managers lead their people towards the right ways of work performance, and it helps the resource managers themselves to remain in good paths as far as decision making process is concerned. The relevance of the code of ethics is that it states whatever things which are morally accepted as well as those that are against the expectations and enables the people to do what is right and what is suitable for other people and the communities they live in. In brief, the ethics are essential for ensuring a good state of the community because of good behavior of the societal members and ensure that decisions taken by leaders for example resource managers are the best for the entire group of people in that line thus the rights and freedoms of other people are not in any way violated.

Foundational Principles

The following are essential foundational principles in the whole process of applying ethics into one's life. Some of the chosen principles to use in this scope are:

The virtues that are needed to make the life of a person go well- this principle means the things that have to be done every time to make sure that the life flows well and they help in shaping the daily way of life to ensure that whatever action taken will make life better for the individual

The motives or moral obligations of acting- this principle means the feelings of an individual which cause them to act in a certain way and they are applied in dealing with occurrences in daily lives and making of decisions in arising and challenging situations which are sensitive so that the outcome does not affect one negatively.

The commitments and personal relationships one has with friends, family, and others- this means how one deals with and handles other people around them (Nuzzaco 325-340). Ensuring a good relationship with other people is best for good moral behavior of all the people and avoiding unnecessary problems that could come out of bad relationships.

The duties, concerns, and roles associated with the projects one will undertake, such as being a forester, parent, or citizen- this means that one needs to know what they are expected to do and act accordingly depending on the task given to them (Wise). It is well applied to determine how one acts in various types of roles that are attached to them and ensure that the best result is attained out of their conduct.

The everyday rules that one will follow most of the time, even without thinking- these are the automatic behaviors or ways of conduct that an individual needs to embrace in all areas of life without even being reminded to do so. They are the best behaviors that are positive to apply in the daily dealings with other people or in the personal life which add value to the person.

A strategy or group of strategies to use when considering how to make exceptions to the rules, and the ground on which exceptions will be made- this is a guiding point or the basis on which one will choose to act in a particular way. They are applied in various matters to deal with issues that come up and are challenging to deal with.

Application of Principles

People can apply the above principles in various ways, and so many factors influence how each of the principles will be used. Below are some examples in which the above foundational principles can be applied by people as far as ethics and the conduct of a person is concerned.

The Virtues That are Needed to Make the Life of a Person Go Well

This principle can be applied in the general life of an individual so that the individual always considers doing what is right as per the ethics and rules of the community that one lives. For example, one should embrace the right behavior when dealing with people around them and live a life that is satisfactory to them and other people. This will help to deal with issues positively and get the best results from these ways of conduct.

The Motives or Moral Obligations of Acting

One having positive motives will, for example, be applied in motivating other people to do what is right. In a case where other individuals are not doing the right things, this can be used to change their direction towards what is suitable for all the people in the community.

The Commitments and Personal Relationships One has with Friends, Family, and Others

This is important for daily interactions and dealing with the people around an individual. For example, a resource manager will apply this to make sure that he is in good terms with the subordinates (Annas 1-14). This creates a good bond between him and the other people, and as a result, the decision he makes is suitable for all the people. The people will continue being motivated towards following the best virtues for the good of the organization they work for. This will solve the problem of misunderstandings among people.

The Duties, Concerns, and Roles Associated with the Projects One Will Undertake Such as Being a Forester, Parent, or Citizen

This always keeps one informed about the role that they have to play and how they are required to conduct themselves when carrying out a particular role. As a result of this, it fosters maximum creativity, and the best results ever are attained. For example, the resource manager will be guided by this principle to carry out all the projects connected to him by the ethics governing their conduct.

The Everyday Rules That One Will Follow Most of the Time Even Without Thinking

These are the normal behaviors that one has to follow without having to be reminded or think about them. For example, the way one talks to people and does things is much determined by this principle. When one talks, they should always talk about what they know is ethically right for themselves and that which does not hurt anyone (Wise). This comes automatically, and everyone knows that they should relate well with other people by the way they talk and do things.

A Strategy or Group of Strategies to Use When Considering How to Make Exceptions to the Rules, and the Ground on Which Exceptions Will Be Made

It is always essential to have regulations and strategies that can be applied in various situations to act as a way of solving arising matters and controlling the negative effect of one's actions. For example, in a situation where conflicting parties need to be brought together, it is essential to have strategies that can be followed to achieve this. The strategy needs to be tied to ethics so that all people can act by the ethics, and all they do is for the common good of all the parties involved (Kulju 401-412). This will help solve the existing problem in the best way and create a good relationship between the conflicting parties by having a good strategy in place to deal with such an issue that arises. Decision-makers and problem solvers in organizations need to have this in place so that they can adequately handle the issues that arise among their organizational workforce.

Conclusion

Ethics are essential in building a better life professionally and also individually because they determine how one behaves and handles issues that matter. This is in consideration that they are so much used in the making of decisions, and thus the outcomes of these decisions affect how the life of an individual is. In the professional scope, ethics are vital in the making of informed choices that are sensitive to the work output. For example, an individual who has good governance of ethics always remains under the provisions of the ethics doing what is morally right according to the ethics and ignoring anything that leads to an adverse outcome in the profession. Thus, ethics shape the professional behavior of a person and make them move towards the correct behavior of doing things, making decisions, solving problems, and their reaction towards other people. The ethics are much concerned with the behavior a person has towards other people around them, and thus they can control how one deals with others. Most of the time, it makes professionals understand their roles, their expected behavior personally, in groups, in teams, or as a whole organization and limits the extents, which may lead to negative results in the workplace through lack of application of ethical behavior by the professionals.

Works Cited

Annas, J. (2015). Applying virtue to ethics. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 32(1), 1-14.

Kulju, K., Stolt, M., Suhonen, R., & Leino-Kilpi, H. (2016). Ethical competence: a concept analysis. Nursing Ethics, 23(4), 401-412.

Nuzzaco, M. (2014). Ethics of information: ontology, responsibility, and new moral agents. Applying ethics to information computer technology's challenges. An interview with Luciano Floridi. Politica & Societa, 3(2), 325-340.

Wise, E. H., Hersh, M. A., & Gibson, C. M. (2012). Ethics, self-care, and well-being for psychologists: Reenvisioning the stress-distress continuum. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43(5), 487.