Reflexive Essay: Ethical Dilemmas in Leadership and Decision Making

This reflexive essay delves into the ethical dimensions of leadership, focusing on a case study where a leader, Robert, faces a moral dilemma concerning the closure of a mill. The essay analyzes Robert's decision to prioritize the well-being of the community over personal career advancement, examining the moral norms and values at play. It explores the emotional, cognitive, cultural, political, and institutional factors that influence ethical decision-making. The essay highlights the importance of considering the impact of decisions on stakeholders and the role of ethical leadership in maintaining community stability. It discusses the enablers and disablers that affect a leader's ability to voice their moral values in challenging circumstances. The essay concludes by emphasizing the significance of ethical considerations in leadership and the need for leaders to balance personal ambitions with the greater good of their communities.

Reflexive Essay

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Answering the questions..................................................................................................................1
a. What is the morally right thing to do in the case and why do you think it is right, given your
moral world view? .....................................................................................................................1
b. What moral norms or values would voice, and how do they flow from your world view?....1
c. How would you enact these norms and values given the circumstances set out in the case...2
d. Identify the emotional, cognitive, cultural, political, and institutional “enablers” and
“disablers” that would likely influence your ability to voice your moral values, in the
circumstances described in the case............................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

Answering the questions
a. What is the morally right thing to do in the case and why do you think it is right, given your
moral world view?
Ans : The thing that is morally right here is that Robert did not want the community to get suffer.
It is because the mill has been a great source and contributor to the basic facilities of the people
of the town. So, an unexpected closure for them would be disappointing and heartbreaking for
them. So, what Robert did was morally right. I also think that this is right because an unexpected
closure of the mill would have been very disappointing for the whole town. The mill was
working efficient because of the new techniques involved by Robert but it was said by the senior
managers that the mill might get closed because of the involvement of old technology. I also
think that this was a very appropriate opportunity for Robert but he thought of the people of the
town and on that basis, took the decision of not accepting the offer of a new job and continuing
the mill. IT was because the new southern mill, in Hobart was involving new technologies and
the one in Tasmania was having old technology. The senior managers also told Robert to keep it
confidential in order to avoid any sort of industrial conflict. They made it confidential because
they knew it was wrong to close the mill on a very short notice. So, I think what Robert did was
right because unexpectedly limiting the resources that are being used by enormous number of
people is not good. Also, it can throw a major impact on the mental stability of the person. So, I
think what Robert did was correct enough. It is because Robert even did not take the job offer as
well as Hobart has most probably more number of job opportunities than Tasmania.
b. What moral norms or values would voice, and how do they flow from your world view?
Ans : The moral norms that can be implemented here is that the senior managers told Robert not
to discuss about the closure. This was not right because when the town is dependent on the
facilities from the mill, in that case, limiting the mill to expand its operations any more just
because they are making use of old technology is not correct. It is important to be considered
because here when people are dependent on the operations and processes of the mill, then
stopping the mill on a very short notice without information the people of the town is not correct.
It is because if they will not be informed, how they can get to know the other various ways so
that they can investigate about other options from where they can continue the same. It was a
huge step for Robert as well because shifting in the Hobart mill had great opportunities for him
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and his wife have also loved the offer but just because of the love for the community, he did not
accept the offer. So, I think this is the biggest moral value and also, having trust, faith and love
for anyone these days is quite hard to find but Robert still had it and that is the reason that he did
not accept such a great offer and thought of his community only. These ethics and values are
quite hard to find but Robert was having, so for his love for the community, he did not even
accept the offer and also pleaded to the senior managers about the fact that they should increase
the time for closure and also should let the town members know about it. It is important as well
because by these means, the community members will also be able to accept the fact in a few
times and also, they can try to investigate about different sources from where they can have
access to the facilities. So, these can be considered as the moral values and norms that are
associated with it.
c. How would you enact these norms and values given the circumstances set out in the case.
Ans : These norms can be enacted efficiently because one cannot shut down the services in a
very short notice of time. It is because when some specific population is dependent on some
particular resources, then the senior managers or authorities even do not have the rights to shut
the business and its operations because this can put the whole population in trouble (Chowdhury,
2016). Therefore, it is very important that the company can ensure it in the initial phase and also
if there are some situations because of which the company has to shut down the operations, they
should notify it to the population with a proper notice of a specified time period so that till the
time, all the operations can be barred completely, the population can be able enough to make
their arrangements of the same facilities from some other source. As the mill has been very
important for satisfying the facilities of people, so shutting down with a small period of notice is
not correct. Therefore, it can further prove responsible for causing various complications such as
industrial conflicts etc. Enhancement of the norms is very important because it helps in
maintaining a sort of balance between different operations and functions of the community
(Rose, 2016). Also, when some factor is not going good and is not in a favour of the population
and also, in a way that it can cause further complications and issues for the population, then
applying the norms is a basic necessity so that it can help in resolving the issues, thus
maintaining a sort of balance between all the functioning of the operations.
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d. Identify the emotional, cognitive, cultural, political, and institutional “enablers” and
“disablers” that would likely influence your ability to voice your moral values, in the
circumstances described in the case.
Ans : Emotional enablers in this case may be termed as wife of Robert because although she was
very happy with the opportunity Robert was getting but just because for the love for community,
he did not accept the offer. So, his wife can here act as the emotional enabler while the senior
managers can act as a disabler because they told Robert about keeping it confidential because
they wanted to keep the matter confidential till the time of closure of the mill. So, here, they can
act as the emotional disabler. So, in such case, the support of wife can act as my enabler so that I
can raise all my moral values because it is important to speak when something does not seem
right. Cultural enablers, in this case can act as the governmental bodies because in such case, the
help and support from governmental bodies can actually help in providing a sort of support to the
people of the community. It is important as well because this can act as a sort of help to the
people living in the community as there might be the possibility that government can arrange
some other alternative for that or also, might involve the digital technology in that mill so that
their problem of using old technology can be resolved.
This can prove beneficial enough for the mill as well as for the people living there
because the involvement of new technology will increase the overall rate of the processing and
also, the customers will be able to get the facilities as well (Scheflin, 2015). Also, even Robert
tried to convince the Mr Smith that due to the unexpected closure of the mill, the whole town
have to suffer. Also, Robert tried to convince Mr Smith that he should make increment in the
time duration of the notice period and it should be for about nine to 12 months. One year is much
enough for the customers to investigate for other various sources from where they can bring the
same products and services, thus can complete all their requirements and needs (Beckett,
Maynard and Jordan, 2017). So, in this, it can be considered that Robert has made his point clear
and also made a well impression in front of Smith as well. It is because he loves his community
and just because the community do not have to suffer after the stopping of the mill and then
creation of various complications for the members of the town, he convinced Mr Smith to extent
the time period of the notice to about one year so that till the time, the people of the community
can be able to investigate about various factors and sources from where they can take the
specified resources.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Beckett, C., Maynard, A. and Jordan, P., 2017. Values and ethics in social work. Sage.
Chowdhury, M., 2016. Emphasizing Morals, Values, Ethics, and Character Education in Science
Education and Science Teaching. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational
Sciences, 4(2), pp.1-16.
Rose, M., 2016. Ethics with Barth: God, Metaphysics and Morals. Routledge.
Scheflin, A.W., 2015. Mercy and morals: The ethics of nullification. In Jury Ethics (pp. 145-
194). Routledge.
Tait, P., 2015. We should be teaching morals and ethics in our schools. The Telegraph.
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