The Ethical Decision Making Manual for Helping Professionals by Steinman, Richardson, and McEnroe - Article Example

Teaching Ethics I: EDUC 30213 The Ethical Decision Making Manual for Helping Professionals by Steinman, Richardson, and McEnroe Amima Kader ID: 207129 Table of Contents I. The Traps of Ethical Decision Making II. The Process of Reaching Ethical Decisions III. Professional Relationships, Ethical Standards, and the Principles Involved IV. The Clientele’s Needs and Professionalism V. Overview and Conclusion You’re Name Professor Course 15 May 2006 The Importance of Ethical Decision Making Styles for Professionals The Traps within Ethical Decision Making In today’s professional world ethics is an extremely important part of any professional’s career. Without the art of ethical decision making an individual is not going to get very far. They have to know exactly how to approach certain business situations, and yet they have to be able to get their point across precisely and efficiently at the same time. It can be difficult but there are various literary materials out in the market now to help professionals learn the basics of ethical decision making styles in a cohesive manner. The Ethical Decision Making Manual is one of these literary books and it provides enriching information that will keep a professional steered in the right direction in order to bolster more confidence and adapt to sure fire ways of making the appropriate decisions at business functions or in their daily work, of course when it is necessary. For those that study the area of ethics in business, they are aware that there are many traps an individual in a professional position can fall into, one of these being focused on the idea of “common sense” and “objectivity”. Often all it takes to make an appropriate professional decision is to use common sense but at the same time this is said there are also instances where common sense is not the sole answer to solving a dilemma in a professional manner. You have to be attuned to the art of objectivity to and not be afraid to object to situations in which you might not agree. In fact this is what makes a part of a professional individual. Common sense is often used as a good guide to help people come up with a resolution to certain ethical dilemmas in their professional life, though it isn’t always easy. Many professionals find it easier to use common sense techniques to get past an ethical dilemma rather than being objective because even though objectivity is a given in any professional position, it can be hard to incorporate in when an individual has to weigh a clients personal privacy rights and the concept of confidentiality, especially if they are in the professional field of law or medicine. As has been stated, the best way to get through many obstacles is by using common sense which ultimately is what the professional has learned and observed through his or her own personal experiences in business matters. However each and every dilemma is different and therefore the many steps of making ethical decisions comes into play in a variety of ways within the professional world. The mistake that many professionals make however is letting their own judgments from past experiences mare their viewpoints in a professional manner. Often many business people fall into an ethical trap when they try and base decisions on their past experiences, even though it is these very experiences that sometimes teach and guide them in their own work ethics. That is why there must be a boundary established between a professionals personal life and view points and the area of the professional world, otherwise there can be numerous complications that will arise. The personal needs, feelings, and outside social experiences need to remain separated from the business environment in order to exude a more professional atmosphere and better frame of mind to deal with any professional adversities. This is why it is so very important to study the different techniques that can be used to solve ethical dilemmas through the various manuals that have been established such as “The Ethical Decision Making Manual” by Steinman, et al (1998). Many professionals have found by following the guidelines in manuals such as these it assists them in keeping an open mind in order to bring a more precise applicability into solving the myriad of problems that take place in the professional work place and the surrounding environment. As has been said, ethical problems are numerous in the business/professional environment. Another type of trap that professionals can often find themselves in is in regards to the values that are established within their own minds and then that of the professional environment where they find themselves. The idea of circumstantialities can be included in this section as well because more often than not a person’s own values are affected by the circumstances of many innumerable professional situations. For example, the idea will start with the values because it is this area that affects a professionals view of what is considered ethical and what is not. “Personal values, moral standards, and religious convictions”, all play very detrimental parts in obtaining a resolution for many ethical dilemmas (1998). It can be realized that, although these are very important personal characteristics of individuals which should be taken into consideration, they don’t actually have a prominent place in the professional workplace when solving ethical dilemmas. There is a unique difference between professional ethics and moral codes and those of a more personal nature. For example, the way a married couple speaks with each other at home would not be the way a professional business person would speak with a co-worker, especially if they are female. Flirtatious behavior, even when done innocently is one of the most common ethical mistakes a professional can make in the work force. In other words, what is being implied is the fact that although it is good to have a person with high personal values, moral standards; as well as an individual with strong religious convictions, it is not entirely important to what the actual ethical codes from a professional perspective actually are. This is because some of these convictions can interfere with the proper decision making technique in the business world. Religion, for one can intrude upon a persons personal view point but contradict someone else’s so it is a topic that needs to be kept entirely away from the professional work element. Therefore, when these are the identities that are taken into consideration in ethical manners then problems can occur because often these exact identities must be stripped away from the professional character to avoid conflict within the professional ethical codes of helping other professionals. The reason this is stated is it is these very traits that can impede reaching a proper professional resolution, such as with the examples that have been given. One can not include personal moral values, or their own convictions into solving other professional problems, as oddly as it sounds. This is due to the fact that there are times where the decisions that must be reached might not correlate with a persons own moral attitude and could cross those convictions so that is why it is best to keep the idea of personal values out of the equation in solving ethical dilemmas in a professional context. Furthermore, in the professional world many things are run by the regulations of the law (1998). Because of this fact there again might be decisions made that have to correlate with other pertinent points and statutes that are laid out by society and go against an individuals own personal beliefs. This is just repeating the fact of why it is so important to try and keep any form of personal identity out of the process of professional decision making regardless of how it might affect your own perception. Otherwise it is going to result in a lot of confusion and moral upset for the person who has to solve the ethical dilemma by following a solid form of professional principles only. The concept of circumstantiality is perceived in much the same way because this involves not the actual behavior that was exhibited by the individual who created the dilemma but rather the circumstances under which the situation took place. There can never be a heavy emphases placed on the circumstances that lead to a person’s actions because from a professional standpoint the actions where either right or wrong. If you allow your own perception into this form of a dilemma it is exactly like the values trap, you only complicate the situation more. For example, if a co-worker casually puts their arm around another co-worker, then these actions are automatically throwing up a red flag of being on the edge of professional ethics, however from a personal standpoint the action might be perceived as totally innocent and friendly behavior. Another idea is one of drinking and driving, there can be no logical assumption found for this circumstance either. They were either in the right or the wrong. One can not say well, because no one came to pick them up they had to drive home…. This type of philosophy does not justify the situation, so again it is easily seen why the circumstances themselves should not be analyzed because it is the professional ethical standards only that theorize what is the right decision or the wrong one. In a case of a person driving drunk, it is wrong period. Regardless of the underlying circumstances, this is something regulated by the law which has been stated might be a dilemma that goes against ones own perception. So again, personal ideas, views, etc have to be refrained from being tossed into the process of reaching a professional resolution for any dilemma. Therefore, if an individual can become aware that their own personal thoughts and feelings are possibly getting in the way of a professional decision, then they can refrain from them early on before their behavior becomes an unethical professional behavior and concretes upon the problem. Awareness of ones own feelings and actions is crucial in ensuring to stay on a professional path that is filled with professional and business standards not personal or moral ethical values (1998). There should be perfect cohesion now in understanding that regardless of what a professional clients views might be in the decision making process, the professional individual making the ethical decision should always put the ethics surrounding the dilemma as the priority, not the clients rights. Although this is somewhat harsh sounding there is sound reasoning for the philosophy as has been emphasized through this literature thus far. There is a thin line between ensuring the rights on a client or met and at the same time staying with the societal norms of a community. This is why so many professionals run into these ethical dilemmas. But with the correct frame of mind and staying wholly business like, a reasonable and morally sound resolution can be found for any dilemma in the professional world that might arise. The Process of reaching Ethical Decisions Quite honestly ethical dilemmas are quite innocent in nature when they first arise. Mistakes happen, and of course no one can be superman and be perfect all of the time. So honest mistakes transpire but what takes place after is what can be considered unethical behavior. Once an individual becomes aware there is a noticeable problem in their professional work or activities then it is then that they should do something to properly correct it in a professional and highly ethical manner, not avoid it or cover it up as sometimes professional business people do. Avoiding the situation is not going to make it go away. Therefore, taking it in a step by step process is the only logical choice that a person really has in solving the problem. Reaching or coming to an understanding of an ethical dilemma is ultimately a 7 step process if one follows the proper guidelines and protocols of assessing the given situation (1998). Firstly and foremost an individual must come to a good realization of the problem which would mean properly identifying it and zoning in on how to correct it. From there all the professional principles that could have been broken which lead up to the ethical dilemma have to be weighed. For example, if two employees have developed an intimate relationship inside the professional business, how did it happen, what where the first signs, what where the principles and professional ethics that where possibly accidentally or even intentionally overlooked when the situation first began? These are all fundamental questions that have to be analyzed in order to solve the problem. Also, it would be good to make notes to yourself of any legal boundaries yourself or someone you witnessed might have breached as well. This will bring cohesion into the problem and help in finding ways to recover from the ramifications of the adversity of the situation as well. The best way to make sure you did or didn’t reach some form of an ethical dilemma is by consulting with those who are more familiar with the ethical code of your business. Talking with your supervisor or peer counselors can help to rectify the situation and clear the air, if there even was a question of ethics being broken. There is always the possibility that nothing has gone awry at all but you just want to remain certain about this. There is no fault in making sure you remain on the straight and narrow path of the professional ethical code. The Ethical Decision Making (1998) manual points out that if a situation has become seemingly complicated and decisions do not seem easy to make then there might be an ethical principle that has been disturbed. Once you have determined a problem or a potential one you can then move on to try and find a logical response to solve it and then consider what the consequences will be from whatever decision you make. First you must ascertain what the specific ethical code would require you to do and also if there is any certain laws that have a say so in what type of action you should take as well. There are a number of circumstances that could affect your response to the dilemma and these need to be accounted for as well. Of course a professional individual would want to choose the most sound and logical explanation for why they chose the course of action that they did, but sometimes the edginess of the situation can get in the way and even a persons own nerves and misperceptions can mar the progress towards a resolution. Again, following what you have learned in an ethics class can be of assistance and keeping an ethical guideline on hand can be a professional’s best friend as well. The long-term and short-term consequence of any action to rectify a problem has to be taken into consideration as well. Also, you have to decipher who is going to be affected by your decision or the actions that will be taken. Are there going to be any conflicts of interest due to the course you choose and is anyone going to get hurt due to these decisions? All of these questions will have an affect on your decision and the final outcome that will determine what resolution will be reached. As was stated earlier in this review, personal feelings must be pushed aside in ethical dilemmas and a strong focus must be kept centered on the professional circumstances surrounding the dilemma. In other words if your aware your best friend, who is also your co-worker has been fraternizing with another worker on your floor then you have an obligation to report this type of behavior regardless of what your feelings are in the matter. If you do let your own perception get in the way then the dilemma is only going to compound upon itself and make a decision that much more difficult to reach. So, when a person in a professional position finds themselves in this type of dilemma they must follow the following format when considering what steps they will take for a reasonable resolution for all parties: Evaluate the underlying circumstances and what the situation consists of Were any laws broken or did anyone cross the border of an ethical code Do the ethical codes provide any guidelines to assist in coming to a decision: search for a logical answer What are the consequences going to be Give your proposal of action to take Of course your immediate supervisor will provide you with supportive guidance in fulfilling your obligations to take action on solving the professional dilemma that has arisen, either if it involves yourself or someone else in the work place. There is support available to provide much needed support in these dilemmas (1998). Professional Relationships, Ethical Standards, and the Principles Involved Professional individuals who are in roles that are meant to help other professionals with various dilemmas have a unique responsibility to themselves and to those that they serve. They have to ensure that they stay in the framework of the correct ethics and principles that have been laid out for their position. At the same time they are required to maintain a high level of professionalism in their job, never going so far as to accept gifts from clients or let any issues of a discriminatory nature enter into the picture of their various decision making process. They are also suppose to keep a high level of competence in their specific line of work and that would mean focusing solely on what they have expertise in, not drifting off to other areas that might complicate the principles of their professional position. Therefore, their personal conduct around a client should exhume a sense of empathy for the situation that they might be dealing with. Again, there is no room to allow for personal perception into the picture. Focusing solely on the business of the information in front of them and keeping with those standards is the goal in properly providing aid to another professional individual. Professionals can keep their competence levels up by constantly searching for new ways and techniques to improve upon their skills that they utilize to assist their various clientele. Fortunately there are a number of programs available that professional business people can take a part in to help them in learning various new skills for their line of work. Furthermore, within an organization, it is not only one professional that should exhibit these types of characteristics that show high competency levels, empathy, and exhume professional conduct. All of those working in a group working environment should endeavor to have the same business-like qualities about them because that old saying, “one bad apple can spoil the bunch” is entirely true, especially in the professional business world. Because the position of often having to be there to help others is a very demanding form of work, some professionals might suffer with problems themselves and it might become obvious through their behavior and actions. This is why it is very important for the professional to take care of themselves and deal with their personal problems on a different level so that they don’t interfere with work. If they must seek counseling to aid in this then there is nothing wrong with that, it is far better than having gossip going around about yourself or other coworkers who might have similar worries and concerns in their lives. Obviously a professional can’t help other people if they can’t help themselves so this is an issue that takes a place of extreme importance as it takes a clear mind to make strong professional decisions and work efficiently. Besides this fact there are other areas that can be controversial to the business and professional principles as well, with this being on issues of discrimination, and even cultural competence. Professionals have an obligation to extend their services to all those who need them regardless of ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, handicaps, or place of origin. In order for professionals to ensure that they are not crossing the ethical lines and being discriminatory in their decisions they have to rigorously examine their week and their personal role as well. There are many problems that have to be worked out in this specific area because as every professional person knows there are thousands of people that don’t get the assistance that they need due to one of these issues that have been stated. It might be unintentional by the professionals’ part but it doesn’t change the fact that there are obstacles here that need to be worked out. The only way any professional organization can work through these problems is to come to understand them and confront the many inequities that they present (1998). Referrals are one way of ensuring services can be met for all individuals regardless of economics or other personal drawbacks that might be conceptualized. Still there needs to be far more than this being implemented to overcome the common mistakes professionals often make when faced with economical and discriminatory issues in the business world. That is if professional services are ever to be kept on a principle of equality for all people. There are similar concerns in the area of cultural competence. In order for a professional to provide the correct services to individuals they have to have a common awareness of all cultures and their backgrounds. You can’t help an Arab client based on American ideals, so in this regard of course a professional is going to have to do a little research and keep an open mind because the opinions, principles, and ethics are not going to be entirely the same (1998). Although a professional might have all the right ideas and communicate effectively with someone of a different cultural background, another problem they have to be aware of within themselves is their body language. For some cultures body language is a way of communicating what an individual is actually thinking and feeling. Therefore professionals have to make sure that what they are saying to assist a client is what their body language is indicating as well. Shrugs, hand gestures, facial expressions, these all have to be maintained in a professional air as well so as not to hint on a negative impression in any cultural situation. In a round about way everything that a professional does in their work has an impact on their community and the society at large because they have contact with the public on a somewhat daily basis. Colleagues are also affected by each other’s actions so therefore it is imperative to ensure that an air of professionalism is maintained by all in the workplace. One false misinterpretation can crumble the professionalism of an individual. Therefore there are many issues that have to be considered and the principles (which are being found) are extremely numerous in the professional business world. It can get complicated but not so much if an individual follows what they have learned and keeps a strong sense of their own behaviors and actions as well as those with which they work as well. The Clientele’s Needs and Professionalism The needs of the clients are paramount in the business of counseling and other various forms of assistance. There are certain guidelines that are necessary to ensure proper and equal treatment of any and all clientele. Firstly the client should be made to feel that they have the ultimate say so in the assistance that is being offered to them. This would allow for freedom of choice and self-awareness. This would of course involve letting the client know what to expect and what they can possibly hope to gain from the therapy and counseling that they are being given. Communication and empathy with the client are some of the most prudent aspects that keep a professional relationship going. Also, even though the professional must do all that they can to help the client they must refrain from allowing any possible dual relationship from forming that would include emotional responses or other personal influences that could interfere with the professionalism being given. This is to ensure that the client’s welfare is protected as well as the professional relationship is safeguarded and kept intact. Confidentiality is important as well and the professional should initially make it clear to the client that their personal information would stay secure and unshared with any other outside sources, this builds upon the trust in the client/business relationship. Of course it is part of the ethical principles of the professional as well. Furthermore, there are certain ways in which the professional can guarantee to the client that confidentiality will be kept. There are general wavier forms, informed consent forms, and insurance company waivers that can be utilized by professionals to help the client feel more assured their personal interests will be safeguarded (1998). When moving on into other areas that are meant to help a professional individual the business professional has to make certain that all treatments are kept confidential, as has been stated (1998). In areas of group counseling, although they are a good form of treatment to help an individual overcome certain adversities, they won’t work well if there is not special consideration given to the clients’ interests and their emotional state in particular. Therefore, for counselors and therapists there are two specific areas that they have to watch out for to ensure their clients best interests are being kept up front in any professional assistance given. Such as if it becomes aware to the professional that a person needs more specialized care then they have a responsibility to point this out to the client in order to guarantee their needs will be fully met. Of course then it is up to the client to decide what they would like to do. Either way, as long as the ethical dilemmas are being avoided there will be no problem encountered for the professional (1998). Other areas that a professional has to watch out for and keep in mind are intertwined with the legal aspects of treatment for a client. When in a case of a minor who can not make their own decisions, the professional has to make sure that they have parental consent for any treatment plan that will be introduced and carried out. This is of utmost importance is staying in the frame of professional ethical standards in any business, be it medical, psychiatric, business, or legal. Although the principles might sway from one different area of business to another they all have certain legal, ethical, and moral obligations to their clients and to the ethical principles of their business as well. Over View and Conclusion In conclusion it has been emphasized how important it is to maintain a professional etiquette in any form of business. There are times when the professional has to come to understand that the clients’ needs can’t always come first but even so there are ways in which they can still be met in professional and business like manners. This research has shown that any personal interests must be pushed aside which would interfere with a proper business atmosphere. These would include personal feelings, perceptions, personal moral and ethical thoughts, and any other thoughts that could obstruct a proper client/professional relationship. In finality, as long as a professional individual follows the business standards and principles established for their position then they should be able to provide services for other professionals in a very business like fashion. This should be able to be carried out with high competency levels and self assuredness that there would be minimal issues which would arise that could possibly interfere with the many business transactions that take place on a daily basis in the professional environment. Although there are traps that professionals can fall into, as long as they follow upon the knowledge that they have gained then their skills should be efficient and unwavering in the face of any ethical dilemma that might arise. Works Cited Steinman, Sarah & Richardson, Nan Franks & McEnroe, Tim. The Ethical Decision-Making Manual for Helping Professionals, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Company, (1998). Read More