A Reflection of Our Learning

A634.9.4.RB

Reflect on the three key lessons you take away from the course. Reflect on your perceived value of this course.

Going into the Leadership Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility course I felt I have a good understanding of what ethics and morality entailed. Throughout the course however, I learned that I fell into the “blind spot” category as the text author reveals. LaFollette (2007) states that, “We all have restricted moral vision; many of us have vast moral blind spots. Most of us are ignorant of historical, political, economic, sociological, and psychological logical insights that can inform moral action” (p. 93). While I had some awareness of many of these factors, I came to the realizations that I was only scratching the surface in my understanding.

There were many interesting and enlightening discussions on ethical and moral concepts. The three take-aways that I valued most was 1) consequentialism & deontology 2) generational factors, and 3) everyday morality.

Consequentialism & Deontology

I found consequentialism and deontology to be a very interesting topic as both significantly impact the way people reason and make decisions. As a leader, I am fully aware that people do not always share the same frame of mind and/or perspective. In fact, as people evaluate and analyze situational factors to solve basic and complex issues, understanding how these two ethical theories shape our decision making is vital. Whereas consequentialism states that we are morally obligated to act in a manner that results the overall best consequences, deontology holds that we should act in accordance with moral rules or rights that are partially independent of consequences (LaFollette, 2007).

Why this is important is because it allows us to have a better understanding of someone’s (even ourselves) reasoning of ethical or moral issues. Thus, if someone else arrives at a decision that differs from our own, this does not necessary mean that they are wrong and you are right (and vice versa). Instead, this conclusion should spark a discussion of the situation and factors in order to shed light on the differences in reasoning. According to LaFollette (2007), “Knowing someone's theoretical commitments does not tell us which actions she thinks are right or wrong. It tells us only how she reasons about moral issues although, as we shall see, that tells us a lot” (p. 362).

Generational Factors

Friction among generations is hardly a new revelation. In fact, generations sharing the same society and workplace is as common as difference cars sharing the same road. Yet this topic is important because each generation hold different values and behavior patterns that are associated with that generations experiences; the key for leaders is to understand the wants and needs of these generations in order to create a cohesive workforce culture (Deyoe and Fox, 2012).

For leaders (or anyone for that matter), it would be easy to overlook or dismiss an older person’s thoughts or ideas as being outdated or irrelevant. Likewise, to conclude that a millennial’s behavior as irresponsible or to casual.  Thus, the challenge for leaders is to be able to negotiate their way through these generational gaps and unite the qualities each one brings to the workplace and create productive and cohesive work culture. One can only do this is they are aware of these challenges and are willing to look beyond the surface of the potential friction.

Everyday Morality

Thinking, behaving, and living morally should be an important aspect for everyone. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. What is important about everyday morality is that we have a large controlling investment in the end result we actively work at it to improve the benefits of our lives and those around us. LaFollette (2007) provides five factors that strengthen moral behavior:

• knowledge of the morally relevant facts;

• knowledge of the effects of our actions;

• having a vivid moral imagination;

• caring about others;

• interpreting others' behavior (p. 3082).

It is easy to see how these factors contribute to greater self-awareness and potentially greater understanding of others. As leaders, it is more likely than not that we deal with and collaborate with others daily; many times, in different and dynamic situations. It is essential that leaders understand how their behaviors affect others and most importantly, how and when to adjust their leadership style to get the most out of their people. Leaders must be flexible, insightful, and be accountable. Keeping the above five factors in mind is a great start.

References

Deyoe, R. H., & Fox, T. L. (2012). Identifying strategies to minimize workplace conflict due to generational differences. Journal of Behavioral Studies, 5, 1-17.

LaFollette, H. (2007). The practice of ethics. [Kindle edition]. Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell.