Feeling Lost in an Ethical Maze? Meet Your New Compass!
Warlinda G. Fields
July 28, 2025
Ever found yourself in a tricky situation at work, wondering what the "right" thing to do is? You're not alone. Navigating the complexities of ethical choices is part of our everyday lives. That's why I'm incredibly excited to introduce something vital for all of us: our organization’s brand-new Ethical Decision-Making (EDM) Model!
This isn't just another document; it's a practical, step-by-step guide designed to empower each of us to make choices that truly reflect our core values. It's about ensuring every decision we make shines a light on our commitment to our mission, and most importantly, to the well-being of our students and our incredible community.
Where Did This Come From? Directly From YOU!
This isn't some abstract idea cooked up in an ivory tower. Our EDM model was born directly from your valuable feedback in our survey! We really wanted to hear about the ethical challenges you face, and your insights were gold.
You told us loud and clear about situations where you need the most ethical support. We heard concerns about fair compensation (those "not enough raises" hit home!), ensuring accountability with student data, providing top-notch support for students with IEPs, and even navigating incredibly sensitive issues like student deportations. These are precisely the tough spots our model aims to illuminate.
Regarding how you perceive ethical codes, while you largely agreed with our draft ethical values, you wisely noted that they're only as good as their implementation. As one of you perfectly put it, it needs to be "genuinely lived and not merely a document." This model is our roadmap for living those values every single day. And yes, your survey responses also implicitly showed emotional factors influence ethical choices, our structured approach helps us move beyond initial emotional reactions to make more considered, principled choices.
Your New Ethical Roadmap: The EDM Model
So, how does this work? Our EDM model offers a clear, six-step process to guide you:
Spot the Ethical Issue: First, recognize that a decision has ethical implications. This helps us acknowledge any biases or initial feelings (Johnson et al., 2022.).
Gather the Facts: Get all the info! What’s the context? Who’s involved? What policies or laws apply? This helps avoid assumptions and ensures informed decisions (Bazerman & Moore, 2013).
Consider Everyone Affected: Think about all individuals and groups impacted. Understanding diverse viewpoints is crucial for ethical choices (Crane & Matten, 2021).
Brainstorm & Predict Outcomes: What are your options? For each, think through the potential consequences and how well it aligns with our values.
Make Your Choice & Act: Pick the option that best upholds our ethics. This takes courage, especially when choices are tough (Campbell, 2024).
Reflect & Learn: After the decision, look back. Did it work as intended? What did you learn? This helps us grow and continually improve our ethical practice.
Ethical Decision Making Model
Why This Matters for Us?
This model isn't just theory; it's our practical answer to your feedback. It directly tackles those areas where you told us you need support. It transforms our shared values into actionable steps, ensuring we actually live them.
While no model is perfect, the benefits are clear: better decision quality, increased confidence in our choices, and better preparedness for difficult moments. It empowers you.…us to navigate challenges with clarity.
Let's Live Our Values Together!
To make sure this model truly becomes part of our DNA, we'll be rolling it out in various ways: integrating it into all professional development, discussing it regularly in meetings, linking it to performance expectations, and having leadership visibly champion its use. We’ll also make sure you have easy access to resources and tools to support you.
By embracing this framework, we can navigate any challenge with greater clarity, integrity, and a shared purpose, ensuring our organization remains a beacon of ethical practice for everyone we serve.
References
Bazerman, M. H., & Moore, D. A. (2013). Judgment in managerial decision making (8th ed.).
John Wiley & Sons.
Campbell, J. (2024). Trolley problem. Salem Press Encyclopedia.
https://research.ebsco.com/c/36ffkw/viewer/html/dxq6nwdisn
Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2021). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and
sustainability in the age of globalization (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Johnson, M. K., Weeks, S. N., Peacock, G. G., & Domenech Rodríguez, M. M. (2022). Ethical
decision-making models: a taxonomy of models and review of issues. Ethics & Behavior,
32(3), 195–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2021.1913593
