Daniel Rayos Professor Sopp BA 300 12 March 2017 My Ethical Decision Making Guide 1. Take a Moment to Stop and Reflect This would be my first step in any ethical dilemma. This step is critical because it allows me to gather my thoughts and feelings in a calm manner without compromising my ability to rationalize. It prevents hasty decisions and prepares me for more thoughtful discernment. 2. Obtain The Facts This step is crucial because it is important for me to know what exactly the facts are before I even begin to make a decision. It allows me to take time to ponder on the information that has been presented to me. Sometimes, there is an issue lurking beneath the surface of the situation that I must uncover- and that is where the heart of the conflict lies. Simply put, it is significant to gather as much information as possible from reliable sources to address the situation. If I do not have the facts, then I can’t make an ethical decision. 3. Determine the Ethical Issues at Hand I included this step in my guide because I must know how to differentiate between various situations that may constitute some sort of ethical dilemma, and others that do not. In this step, it is important to specifically identify what are the conflicting values that need to be resolved. If the conflict I am addressing is actually an ethical one, then, I know that there …show more content…
Once I know what I want to achieve and have made my best assessment of the situation, I would devise a list of solutions to resolve the ethical conflict. In this step, I would talk to someone I can trust so I can gain a new perspective and think of unique solutions. It is crucial for me to be as innovative as possible in this step to help minimize the potential negative consequences of my decision. Also, I would highly consider discussing the issue with several people that I trust to reach the best solution