Decision-Makers
Purpose
Ethical decisions are shaped by those who make them. These individuals or groups bring authority, perspectives, and potential biases to the process. Recognizing who the decision-makers are allows you to reflect on their responsibilities, their values, and whether they are equipped to make a fair and informed choice.
Identify who holds decision-making power and how their perspective on the situation may be shaped by their ethical roles and responsibilities.
Key Concepts
Good ethical leadership involves transparency, self-awareness, and accountability. Leaders who ignore their power or motivations can make ethically risky decisions, even with good intentions.
As a decision-maker, you also carry moral responsibility for the choices you make, whether you are a leader, an employee, or part of a team. Your personal value system influences your actions and may align or sometimes conflict with professional or organizational values. Ethical decision-making is not only about meeting short-term goals or following rules. It also requires looking at long-term impacts and understanding that good ethical leadership is not confined to those at the top. Every individual has agency and plays a role in shaping a culture of ethical awareness and accountability.
In Practice
Example Scenario
At NexaTech, the executive leadership team holds the authority to approve or deny the transition to AI-based customer service. The Chief Operating Officer is advocating for cost savings, while the Chief People Officer is raising concerns about the impact on staff and community relations. The CEO is caught between investor pressure and long-term brand integrity. Each of these leaders brings different values, but together they are responsible for aligning the decision with NexaTech’s mission and ethical standards.
Tips and Tools
- Identify who has the power to decide and who influences them.
- Watch out for “motivated blindness” when leaders ignore ethics to benefit themselves or their company
Next Step
Now that you have identified the decision makers, you are ready to analyze the current ethical tensions that exist in the situation.
When you’re ready, continue to the next part of the process.
Proceed to: Ethical Dilemma →
