Learning And Lawyering Personality Types And Their Influence On Ethical Decision Making In Management

Understanding Ethics in Decision Making

Discuss about the Learning and Lawyering Personality Types.

In broadly constructing the role of an ethical manager, it is crucial to note that managing and leading may be summed up as inherent ethics-laden approach since managerial decisions are bound to affect the natural environment and people, with these effects denoting the need for consideration to determine the manner in which decisions are made. Narrowing the construction on the concept of decision making and the manner in which it relates to effective managerial procedures, research has revealed that while competitive advantage may be driven solely by exceptional resourceful management, ethical conduct remains an integral factor in sustainable organizational performance. The capacity for managers to consider the ethical implications of decisions in other words is a crucial aspect for an organizations success, a skill that managers require and that fundamentally underpins other management competencies. Ethical thinking therefore involves an intricate process utilized to consider the repercussions or impact of an action on an institution or individuals (Liedtka, 2012). In as much as most of the decisions made are viewed as routine, it is essential to note that there are chances of facing ethical dilemmas especially in cases where unusual situations happen that require immediate responses. The foundations of an ethical decision therefore involves the making and balancing of choices; a guide that helps in discarding bad choices for good ones. In making ethical decisions, managers therefore need to understand what reasonable people would do in such circumstances. While professional ethics in decision making may not be driven by straight-forward or literal rules, a broad range of techniques may be established to support managers in their ethical decision-making processes at operational and strategic levels, an aspect that posits the fundamental intent of this paper. The paper will equivalently conduct a brief literature review to underpin the understanding of the ethicality of decisions as well as its relationship with effective managerial procedures. An evaluation will additionally be conducted on the Big Five personality instruments in an effort to establish a through plan that specifies my individual goals.

Ethics, defined at a simplistic level means doing no harm. An understanding of the concept of ethics in the making of decision as well as its definition is essential in the business environment, given that this gives insight on the impact of ethical decisions and problem solving in the business environment (Jones, & Chin-Yen Alice, 2015). Many of the professional decisions made within an organization not only affect managers but the people around them, thus establishing the fact that decisions involve the element of ethics. Liedtka (2012) and Treviño & Brown (2009) point that the decision making process in several occasions present ethical challenges to managers. However, the making of ethical decision among managers primarily depends on reasoning and the inclusion of the principles of care, fairness, rights, and utility. It therefore presumed that organizations managerial judgment maker’s need to reason from the principles established in the making of ethical decisions. It is however sudden to note that not all managers reason from the point of moral principles in arriving at ethical decisions (Schwartz & Hoffman, 2017). A great deal of research on the development of individuals possess that people are bound to develop cognitive approach of reasoning and skills over a period and at dissimilar levels labeled as the pre-conventional level, the conventional state, as well as the post-conventional state.

Moral Reasoning among Managers

Enquiries on the aspects of moral reasoning among men as established by Treviño & Brown (2009) as well as on women managers conducted by McManus (2018) adduce that the propensity of reasoning may pass through similar stages, with a lag in cognitive development that is considered to come first.  In other words, at the pre-conventional level of development, the main reason for making ethical decisions is primarily hedged on rewards and punishments or the achievement of an individual’s self-interest. Most of the managers are considered to have passed the pre-conventional stage and are at the level termed at conventional in the stage of development (Wisler, 2018). During the early stages and period of the development of conventional approach of reasoning, managers are bound to make inferences to their peer groups in defining what is right in their eyes and wrong. However, at the later periods of this stage, reasoning as established forces managers to focus more on rules and regulations as well as the norms of the society as a basis for the making of ethical decisions. On the post-conventional stage of development, which according to McManus (2018) only about 20% of manager’s reaches, reasoning occurs according to principles? In other words, reasoning and decisions are made from moral principles, skills that enable not only managers but leaders to arrive at decisions from the core principles of morals so that decisions are made with the sole interests and needs of the stakeholders. Some of the principles managers abide by are typically laid down in an organizations code of conduct, which help managers in decision making.

In light of this, it is essential to determine the manner in which the making of ethical decisions relates with managerial procedures. Managers as ululated by Oumlil & Balloun (2017) may use a combination of approaches in the making of ethical decisions or moral reasoning that are based on care, rights, justice, and utility especially when they encounter ethical dilemmas where their decisions conflict. To make an ethical decision, managers are advised to consider several aspects as they weigh through their decisions founded on the values listed above (Schwartz, 2016). For instance, managers may be forced to consider if there are factors that override their decisions or if an arrived at decision lead to the demise of an individual when made in a given approach or the joblessness of employees if made in another way (Rani, Krishna, & Gowri & Shankar, 2015). In as much as there are no clear models or rules used in the making of decisions, the judgment of a decision maker may be based on the need to control some of the pertinent issues that may of more weight.

The Relationship between Ethical Decision Making and Managerial Procedures

According to Lehnert, Craft, Singh & Porky (2016), another aspect that managers may need to consider in their managerial functions is whether the use of single criteria remains important in a given situation as opposed to others. For instance, in the event that the rights of a group of workers overrun those of a decision, such an aspect may override the fact that a section of individuals would receive a fair treatment in the event that such a decision is made. Similarly, managers may need to consider is there are some incapacitating aspects such as violence or force coming into play in the making of their decisions, with an instance of this evident in the stopping of a strike, an aspect that may violate a section of workers’ rights to strike while on the other hand forestall the injury or destruction of people and property if a strike turns violent.

In this regard, Cavanagh, Moberg & Velasquez (2015), Gilligan, (2012) & Kohlberg (2006) support the fact that decisions may be considered as ethical where there is not a single intent to arrive at an unethical decision, evident in the fact that a bad effect remains a by-product of unethical decisions and good outcomes are yielded from the weighing of bad. Other decision-making aids for managers in effectuating their managerial procedures includes the thought as to whether they would want their decisions to go viral such as appearing in the pages of a magazine or newspaper, social media, or on the television (Craft, 2018). In the event that managers are uncomfortable with such kind of transparency, then there is a need to integrate an ethical approach in analyzing a decision. On the other hand, it is arguable that the decision making process should be consensus-oriented and primarily based on the continuous discussion and equal participation of the managers and their subjects.

Personality theories base their arguments on observations that determine the manner in which humans acquire behavioral patterns. Through a psychological testing approach, it is assumable that a fixed number of aspects in regards to human personality can be recognized, an approach achieved through a consistent process of measurements. As part of my managerial skills assessment, I took one of the BIG FIVE test to determine my fit and abilities. With a scope of 81% on openness, the test established creativity and imaginations in me, an aspect that is evident in my interest on my artistic expression, intellectual development, and adventurousness. On conscientiousness, the test results revealed a high of 85%, citing orderliness, organization, and reliability as a characterization of my trait, with agreeableness at 79%, citing my compassion, and neuroticism at 58% citing my weakness in experiencing negative emotions.

Personality Types and Ethical Decision Making

The findings in my case revealed that an extroverted personality trait may be a good and accurate fit for my managerial skills. This is apparent in the fact that I am fond of making interactions with others. As an individual with a high extraversion trait at 90% in my career and in my relationships with different groups, I have a developed tendency of stimulating others and seeking out within a group, with most of my focus directed towards engaging with the external world. In this regard, it is notable that my initiative as a leader in developing and maintaining a profile or a portfolio of relationships increases my scope of influence in most of the activities I have engaged in with different teams (Seddigh, Berntson, Platts & Westerlund, 2016). As an extrovert, I mainly flourish on excitements, enthusiasm, and action orientations, an approach that makes me at the center of all attention within an organizations work or a group.  I tend to lean on understanding other people and showing compassion when required, citing strength in my leadership approach.

In the second test, the Situational Judgment Test (SJT) as provided in the Appendixes, I additionally find fulfillment in group activities and projects that allow me the pleasure of making decision, with this enabling me to take my thoughts through in connecting with other personalities within different environments.  In this accord, the traits that are likely to change over the duration of time in regards to my character include being assertiveness in the making of decisions. On the other hand, as an extrovert, I may not be assertive all the time since this depends on the situations that present themselves in life (Seddigh et al, 2016). As an extraverted individual, my managerial fit is established around the priming of forceful talks and opinions, requiring more airtime in any team discussion as well as the development of several relationships that significantly influence the ethicality of my decisions. In as much as talking may not be associated with any managerial fit, I believe that my quest for airtime in several occasions characterizes a leadership trait. Secondly, quality of talk alone in as much as is a component of my leadership traits may not be sufficient in bestowing my leadership qualities.

An evaluation of the second ESFJ test revealed that my personality type falls under the category of the CONSUL ESFJ. ESFJ personalities are conscientious and sensitive individuals who attend to the needs of others and dedicate themselves to their responsibilities. This clearly denotes the high attachment between me and my emotional environment that takes consideration of the feelings of and perceptions of others. ESFJs are known for their sense of corporation and harmony that seeks to please any individual (Weinstein, 2015). On the other hand, as an ESFJ, I value the element of tradition and loyalty that makes me place my friends and family the top priorities in anything I do. This explains the rationale behind my generosity with time, emotions, and effort in considering the concerns of others as if they were my own, thus forcing me to put my significant organizational talent into use with the aim of restoring order in the lives of people.

Following the results accrued from the tests listed above, it dawned on me that my extraverted personality is primed on the forceful opinions and thoughts of others; an aspect that significantly affects my ethical skills in the making of decisions (Richter & Arndt, 2018). As an individual with a high extraversion trait at 90% in my career and in my relationships with different groups, I have a developed tendency of stimulating others and seeking out within a group, with most of my focus directed towards engaging with the external world, a tendency that is mostly influenced by the views of others who influence my decisions.

Broad Goal:

As provided in the Situational Judgment Test, I have greater skills in making managerial decisions. However, the BIG FIVE and the ESFJ tests revealed that as an extrovert, the influence of my peers may override my decisions, causing an alarm and the need to establish S.M.A.R.T goals in an effort to address this challenge.

Conclusion

As established in this paper, ethical decision making involves an intricate process utilized to consider the repercussions or impact of an action on an institution or individuals. In as much as most of the decisions made are viewed as routine, it is essential to note that there are chances of facing ethical dilemmas especially in cases where unusual situations happen that require immediate responses. To make ethical decision, managers are advised to make sense out of several aspects as they weigh through their decisions grounded on the ideologies of ethics and values. Managers may be forced to consider if there are factors that override their decisions or if some particular decisions may orchestrate the demise of an employee in the event that they are made in a given way or the termination of employees if made in another way. In as much as there are no clear models or rules used in the making of decisions, the judgment of a decision maker may be based on the need to regulate some of the significant aspects that may carry weight. Lastly, managers may need to consider is there are some incapacitating aspects such as violence or force coming into play in the making of their decisions, with an instance of this evident in the stopping of a strike, an aspect that may violate a section of workers’ rights to strike while on the other hand forestall the injury or destruction of people and property if a strike turns violent.

References

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