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Accepting Responsibility and Making Ethical Decisions

Written by: Don Doman

Article Overview: In the feature film, True Grit, Mattie Ross searches for Tom Chaney. Chaney is wanted in Texas for killing a senator, but she is after him for stealing her father's money and killing him. She meets up with Chaney. She pulls out an ancient horse pistol, but he ignores the weapon thinking she won't use it. She fires and wounds him. Lying on the ground he complains, "Why does everything happen to me?" Does this behavior sound familiar?

Accepting Responsibility and Making Ethical Decisions

In the feature film, True Grit, Mattie Ross searches for Tom Chaney. Chaney is wanted in Texas for killing a senator, but she is after him for stealing her father's money and killing him. She meets up with Chaney. She pulls out an ancient horse pistol, but he ignores the weapon thinking she won't use it. She fires and wounds him. Lying on the ground he complains, "Why does everything happen to me?" Does this behavior sound familiar?

The world is filled with people who create trouble for everyone around them, but all they see is the problem they created as it affects them.

Take for example, the person who uses a pair of pliers to tighten a nut has to return to loosen it. The nut has been so ruined by the pliers that only a hacksaw can now be used to remove the nut from the bolt. The person curses and throws his tools and complains about machines not being made as well as they used to be made.

Or consider the sales clerk who has lied to a customer about after market warranties. The customer brings back the product for repair. The sales clerk blames management for not standing behind their employees and their customers.

Or consider the manager, who creates strained relationships between his work team, and then blames the individuals when productivity bottoms out.

Business needs a shot of ethics to understand responsibility. There is an ethics training video from the Better Business Bureau that stars renowned Ethics Trainer Michael Josephson in a riveting presentation designed to strengthen ethical performance in every organization.

The video, Ethics in Action: The Six Pillars of Character explains in detail the six core values comprising the essence of ethical judgment:
Trustworthiness
Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Caring
Citizenship.

These values are explained in a manner that can make a difference in your work life and personal life.

The learning point of the video are:
Perceive the ethical dimensions of choices
Improve the ethical quality of decision making
Formulate optimal ethical responses
Understand ethics as an opportunity
Practice ethics in all circumstances

We all influence the world directly around us. Our choices change our environment and our relationships. We need to understand that our decisions are our responsibility.

Everything does happen to us, because of us. Whining doesn't help. Acceptance doesn't help. Maintaining values and choosing the ethical path does.

Related Articles
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  Nine Commitments That Will Emphasize Business Ethics and Company Core Values Are Extremely Crucial To Your Business
  Accept Responsibility in Every Conversation - or Be a Victim
  Great Leaders Help People Assume Responsibility
  BEING THE BEST MEANS CREATING A SELF MANAGING CULTURE

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