Business Law Ethics Ethics in Action

Common Characteristics of Poor Decision Making

In order to make ethically sound decisions, it is necessary to acquire and secure all the pertinent facts; therefore, one of the most common characteristics of a poorly made decision is the lack of necessary and relevant facts. Entering the decision making process with favor and bias toward a particular outcome is an additional trait of a decision that is poorly made (Mallor et al., 2009, p. 105). Seeking and hearing only facts that support the favored option, and averting the possibility of inconveniencing others to secure relevant and unbiased factual information is the mark of a lazy and unmotivated decision maker. A decision maker that is not thorough and persistent is not a good decision maker.

Because of the level of diversity in the workplace and the necessity to take into consideration all the stakeholders, evidence of a poor, potentially unethical decision is one that disregards the impact his or her decision will have on those vested in the company or corporation. Moreover, a characteristic of a poorly...

The decision maker will be credited with the decision, good or bad, and the decision makers guidance can be critically important in making a sound decision beneficial to all those involved. Lastly, it is important to avoid the pitfalls of fallacious thinking; not jumping on the bandwagon or succumbing to the pity approach are important first for the decision maker to recognize and then to avoid (Mallor et al., p. 115).
Resisting Requests to Act Unethically

It is important to recognize requests to act unethically, and to do that, the person must know what being and acting ethically requires and entails. Although many of us in the workforce have a tendency and propensity to make decisions based on our relegated positioning within the company, resisting request to act unethically requires that our position not be the driving force in our decision-making. If a superior makes a request that is unethical, it is necessary that the person not simply acquiesce based on the appeal to authority and not act in fear of reprisal. A decision that…