Assignment: Personal Ethical Action Plan
One of the core assumptions regarding ethics in this course is that it is not a matter of if you will face an ethical dilemma, but when. Moreover, it is easier to respond the way you want in such a situation if you are prepared ahead of time.
Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to help you prepare yourself by developing a "personal ethical action plan." This plan is based on your self-analysis of core concepts associated with ethics, and how they associate with your ability to choose an ethical course of action when faced with an ethical dilemma.
Your assignment is to write a paper that incorporatesyour self-assessment into apersonal ethical action plan (i.e., how you will prepare yourself for responding in the face of an ethical dilemma). Altogether your final paper must be at least 2000 words (not including any appendices you might include). Please do not include a cover page or table of contents, just put your name at top of first page. Make sure to include an introduction and conclusion. Cite any resources you draw from using APA format, and follow appropriate rules regarding quotation and citation (see Academic Dishonesty section of the course syllabus). Please double-space your document and use 12-point font.
Content Resources: You should draw the material for your analysis from topics and issues covered in class. You should have at least 4 sources which provide additional research/resources for your paper. A primary resource for you should be the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) book and/or the related videos assigned during the course. You may also use your text as a resource. The final paper consists of six parts, which will be turned in in two parts. Part 1-4 with appendix will be turned in under PEAP part 1 assignment, the final paper including all 6 parts, introduction, conclusion and appendix will be turned in underPEAP Final. The six parts are:
1. List and discuss your core values: The "Funeral Exercise" and the "5 people 5 attributes exercise" should have helped you to tap into your deep, fundamental (core) values. These exercises should be included in an Appendix that appears at the end of your document and the appendix should be referred to in the text of your paper. Drawing from what you learned during these assignments about what you value most in life, and what you hope to accomplish in it, describe your core values. Be sure to discuss how you identified these core values and how you envision them helping you in future ethical dilemmas. Consider dedicating a paragraph to each of the values you identified in order to fully describe each in detail. Chapters 1 and 2 fromGiving Voice to Values (GVV)will be helpful in successfully completing this part of the paper.
2. A Tale of Two Stories. Complete the exercise entitled "A Tale of Two Stories" and answer all of the questions associated with Parts 1 and 2 on pg. 52-53 in GVV in your appendix. You will need to read Chapters 3 and 4 from GVV in order to complete this part of the assignment. Once you have completed the Tale of Two Stories exercise, write it up for inclusion in your Personal Ethical Action Plan. This section should include a brief (one paragraph maximum for each story) description of each of the two stories and then a significant exploration and comparison of them. Focus on what you can learn from these experiences that will help you in the future as you face similar ethical dilemmas. Be sure to identify what you wish you would have done differently in the story where you did not give voice to your values.
3. Describe your personal professional purpose. To spur your thinking on this issue, refer to and answer each of the Questions of Personal Purpose from the "Key Self-Assessment Questions" in the Giving Voice to Values book pg. 116 in your appendix. Once you have considered each of these questions, craft a succinct statement of professional purpose. Then, describe this purpose in greater detail by including your responses to each of the personal purpose questions. Do not include the questions in Q&A format, but utilize paragraphs to answer them in a way that integrates well with the rest of the paper.
4. Write a self-story that allows you to align what you think is right with who you already think you are. Your self-story should be broad enough that it could be used in a variety of situations where your morality or ethics are challenged. Think of a way of explaining why your values and morals are important to you and why it would be difficult for you to go against them in the workplace. This can be the basis of your self-story. Chapter 6 from GVV provides much more detail about the purpose of and the importance of the self-story.
A successful self-story typically takes one of two forms: (1) a description of a particularly vivid past experience that cemented within you a firm desire to follow your values or (2) a description of the source of your values that helps explain why they are so important to you. Either of these options could be utilized to successfully create a self story that can be used in the workplace to defend your values-based choices.
Parts 1-4 will be turned in for the first time under Personal Ethical Action Plan Part 1. Check due date on Canvas.
5. Do a self-assessment regarding voice. Start by answering the Questions of Personal Communication Style and Preference in the "Key Self-Assessment Questions" from Giving Voice to Values pg.116 in your appendix. You should also think about the types of issues that get you to take a stand. This exercise builds on what you learned in Part 2 (A Tale of Two Stories) but asks you to speak more broadly to the tendencies you have shown in terms of voicing up. You can draw upon your life's experiences to think about how you tend to speak up, not just in situations where your ethics are challenged, but generally when you are faced with situations where you want your voice to be heard. You will want to read Chapter 7 of GVV thoroughly in order to complete this part of the paper.
6. What are the reasons and rationalizations you most commonly use when you decide not to act on your values? What are those you hear others around you use? Think of specific examples. What can you do to address these reasons and rationalizations so they do not lead to unethical choices (but rather allow for ethical choices to be made)? This is an important step in the development of your Personal Ethical Action Plan because oftentimes our own thoughts are what keep us from speaking up. So, we can increase the likelihood of our speaking up by foreseeing the potential reasons and rationalizations that we might use and plan ahead of time how we will overcome these potentially silencing thoughts. See Chapter 8 from GVV for more information about how to successfully complete this part of the paper.
The final version of the Personal Ethical Action Plan will be turned in under Personal Ethical Action Plan Final Assignment. This includes parts five and six for the first time as well as parts 1 - 4 with edits from the prior version. You will also be adding an introduction and a conclusion to the final version you turn in. Check Canvas for due date.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.