Leadership And Environments Of Administration Book Reviews Example

Thesis

Making tough decisions and choosing between right and wrong is a common scenario in everyday life; however, people may also face tough decisions and the choice between right and right, which would depend on their fundamental ethics, morals, and values.

Golden Nugget Quotes

In the book by Kidder (1995), she explained how a person can be faced with uncompromising situations where they have to make decisions. This decision-making greatly affects the moral and values that person adhere to. Kidder (1995) had given quotes for a person to ponder on and live by in order to aid them in making decisions when they are in a challenging situation.

In the example from a plant manager and the decision on whether to take the money

given to him, Kidder (1995) said,
But right versus wrong choices are very different from right versus right ones. The latter reach inward to our most profound and central values, setting one against the other in ways that will never be resolved simply by pretending that one is ‘wrong’. Right versus wrong choices, by contrast offer no such depth: The closer you get to them, the more they begin to smell. (p.17).
This quote explains that a person’s central values will determine the choices they make, but that choosing between right and right poses a greater challenge to a person’s values/
Furthermore, Kidder (1995) explained that,
When good people encounter tough choices, it rarely because they are facing a moral temptation. Only those living in a moral vacuum will be able to say, ‘On the one hand is the good, the right, the true and the base. On the other hand is the awful, the wicked, the false and the base. And here I stand equally attracted to each (p.17).

This means that moral temptations are only present for people who have reservations for

choosing a wicked decision. Yet, Kidder (1995) still emphasized that right versus wrong decisions do not qualify as tough choices. According to her,” the really tough choices, then don’t center upon right versus wrong. They involve right versus right. They are genuine dilemmas precisely because each side is firmly rooted in one of our basic, core values” (Kidder, 1995, p.18). In this regard, having a core value -- something good that is innate -- will aid a person in choosing and seeking a better decision for a situation, which poses two positive circumstances.
Another important aspect of decision-making, as elucidated by Kidder (1995) is that of ‘ethical fitness’. As Kidder (1995) explained,
You got to think about it, reason it through, get the mind in gear and grapple with the tough issues. In other words, you’ve got to be mentally engaged (Kidder, 1995, p. 59).

This has something to do with how a person shows a presence of mind when presented a dilemma.

The Contributions
The whole book has a great impact on how people select and recognize the kind of situation they are in -- whether they’re in a right versus wrong or a right versus right dilemma. Kidder (2009) provided the three principles to help a person arrive at their decision on a right versus right dilemma. These are: (1) ends – based, known as utilitarianism, which has a maxim of ‘Do whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number.’; (2) rule-based thinking, which is a Kantian principle, which states ‘Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same will that it should become a universal law.’; and (3) care-based thinking, which means putting love for others fist and which has the same principle as the Golden Rule. These principles aid a person in weighing the options he has.
These characteristics of what is wrong and the principles provided by Kidder (1995) have an immense effect on the decision-making of a person.

Strengths

The book as a whole has more strong than weak points. It tackled its key points by providing examples for each to illustrate how they are done in the daily lives of people. From the selected quotes, Kidder (1995) even made it clear that a person who has a higher sense of their core value will be able to determine the kind of situation they are in. Kidder (1995) also pointed out that a person should have a sound mind when choosing from the options at hand.

Weaknesses

One weakness that is present in the book is the separation of a person who has an inclination to be bad from a person who is good. It is not a fair judgment for people to be branded as either, especially if they have personal reasons for taking the actions they did.
In connection to this, from one of the golden nugget quotes, the author said that a person won’t be able to distinguish a right versus a right situation, especially if that person is devoid of the concept of right versus right. This presupposes that a person does not have innate core values.

Relevance

The three principles in the book are always used in one’s everyday interactions with other people. In this regard, this book can serve as a guide to help people determine the kinds of dilemmas they are in and to use the principles discussed in this book for making their decision. The examples provided for each principle will help the reader understand how the principles can be applied in real life.
Ends-based thinking, which has the maxim of utilitarianism, looks at the consequences of the decision chosen. For instance, a teacher was asked by a student’s parents to tutor their child. She knows that it would b unethical to tutor her own student because it would be unfair for the rest of the class; however, the parents offered to pay her for the tutorial session. If the teacher is after the money, which will help her with her everyday expenses, then she will be tempted to accept it. On the other hand, for rule-based thinking, the most fundamental rule should be followed. For example, one’s closest friends confided in them that he committed a terrible crime and that he has to be turned in to the police. The other person will be torn between telling the truth and helping their friend. For rule-based thinking, if one is a responsible citizen, then they should help maintain order in their place by providing authorities with information that will help solve a criminal case. In a situation where an old woman asks for alms from another person, the other person may be hesitant to give her money because they would be unsure if she is really in need or if it is just a ploy. However, regardless of their doubt, the other person will feel pity for an old woman and will be inclined to put themselves in her situation.

References

Kidder, R. (1995). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemmas of ethical
living. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.