Show-Me 4-H Character

Module 4

Making Good Decisions

Controlling Choices

“Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself.”

U.S. Senator Robert F. Bennett, a member of a

bi-partisan CHARACTER COUNTS! Working Group in the Senate

Making Ethical Decisions

Making ethical decisions is about choosing among options according to ethical principles.

It is about doing what is right.It is about doing what is right.

Power & Responsibility

All your words and actions, and even your attitude, reflect choices.

A Foundation for Good Decision Making:

Two Core Principles

1.We all have the power to decide what we do and say.2.We are morally responsible for the consequences of our choices.

Feeling Out of Control

The power to choose is not always evident to youth who are learning to deal with emotions and impulses intensified by hormonal changes.

Emotions may create moods and reactions that seem beyond their control.

Consequences& Stakeholders

Each person who can be affected by a decision has a “stake” in that decision and a moral claim on the decision-maker to make the decision wisely and ethically.

Good Decisions Are Both Effective and

Ethical

Effective decisions move toward the decision- maker’s most important goals.Ethical decisions reflect commitment to the Six Pillars of Character.

Qualities of a Good Decision

Good decisions are both effective and ethical.Good decisions are rational, not rationalizations.Good decisions reflect both discernment and discipline.

Good Decisions Are Rational,

Not Rationalizations

Rational decisions result from careful reasoning; evaluating the effectiveness and ethics of options. Rationalizations justify decisions the decision-maker wants to make or has already made.

Good Decisions Require Both

Discernment & Discipline

Knowing what to do and doing it. Discernment – the ability to evaluate

facts and potential consequences from a practical and moral perspective.

Discipline – the strength of character to do what should be done even when it is costly or uncomfortable.

Taking Choices Seriously: Recognizing Important Decisions

All Decisions Are Not Equal

Most choices don’t require serious forethought because the issues are not morally complex and the stakes are not high.

All Decisions Are Not Equal

Young people should be taught that many everyday decisions have potentially momentous consequences.

When Is a Decision Important?

Every decision has consequences.A Simple Formula: The greater the potential consequences, the more need there is for careful decision making.

Recognizing Important Decisions

Five Questions: Is there possible danger of physical

harm to you or anyone else? Could you or someone else suffer

serious emotional pain? Could the decision hurt your reputation? Could the decision impede achieving

any important goal? Could you or someone else suffer

significant monetary or property loss?

A Seven Step Decision-Making Process

1. Stop and Think2. Clarify Goals3. Determine Facts4. Develop Options5. Consider Consequences 6. Choose7. Monitor and Modify

Seven Steps to Good Decisions

1. Stop and Think

“Thinking before you speak” is not only a vital aspect of self-control, it is a prerequisite to kindness and respect. If young people are taught to pause to consider how their words might cause hurt feelings, anger or sadness they are likely to make better choices and have better relationships.

2. Clarify Goals

Good decision-makers clarify and prioritize their goals.

Before you choose, know what you want to accomplish over both the short and long-term.

Determine which desires affected by the decision are the most important.

3. Determine Facts:

GuidelinesConsider the reliability and credibility of the people who are giving you facts.Consider the basis of the supposed facts — honesty, accuracy, from memory, etc.Remember that assumptions, gossip and hearsay are not the same as facts.Consider all perspectives, but be careful to consider if the source has values, biases or self-interests that affect his perception of the facts.Be careful to distinguish well-grounded opinions from casual speculation, conjecture or guesswork.

4. Develop Options

Good decision-makers make a mental or written list of options, a range of things they could do to accomplish their goals.

5. Consider Consequences

Filter your options through the Six Pillars of Character.

Identify the stakeholders and how they will affect them.

6. Choose

Select an option, make your choice, and proceed to implement it.

If you still have doubts: Talk to someone whose judgment

you respect. What would the most ethical person

you know do? What would you do if everyone

knew? Practice the Golden Rule. Apply other decision-making

models.

7. Monitor and Modify

Good decision-makers monitor the effectiveness of their choices to see if they are working out as intended.

If the initial choice was ineffective, they modify their position and make new decisions based on current information.

When ethical principles conflict and there is no clear right response, you must make a choice as to which principle to honor.

Resolve ethical conflicts by using a decision-making strategy that helps you see the moral implications of your choices, sort out the competing claims and evaluate the long-term consequences of each option.

Exploring the Ethical Dimension of

Good Decisions

Strategies for Making

Ethical Decisions Publicity test Role model test Parenting test Bell, book & candle test Rule of respect Rule of universality Golden Rule JI decision-making model

The Publicity Test

What would you do if you knew that your decision and the true reasons behind it would be reported on the front page of the newspaper or on the 10 o’clock news?

The Role Model Test

When faced with a difficult decision, think of an ethical role model — someone whose integrity and courage you admire — and ask, what would that person do?

What would ____ do?

What would Mother Teresa do?

What would Superman do? What would Forest Gump do? What would your mother do? What would ___________ do?

The Parenting Test

Your notions of right and wrong and how someone else ought to act are particularly acute when you think of yourself as a parent.

Listen for the bells warning you of an ethical issue.

Check to see if there are any laws, regulations or rules that restrict your choices.

How will your decision look in the light? Could a reasonable, fair-minded person conclude you acted improperly?

Bell, Book and Candle

Rule of Respect

All individuals are important and the well-being of each is a moral end in itself; never treat others as simply the means for our own gain or gratification.

Rule of Universality

Do only those acts which you are willing to allow to become universal standards of behavior applicable to all people in similar situations.

Ask yourself: If everyone did it, would it be a good thing?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

35Module Four – Making Good Decisions © 2004 Josephson Institute

JI Character-Based Decision-Making

Model Ethical decisions take into account the

interests and well-being of all persons likely to be affected by your actions (“stakeholders”).

Ethical decisions put the core ethical values of the Six Pillars above others.

If it is clearly necessary to violate one core ethical value to honor another core ethical value, do the thing that you sincerely believe will produce the greatest amount of good in the long run.