Looking into ethical decision-making, “A Framework for Ethical Decision Making” emphasizes that a situation must be given its respect according to a number of ethical lenses; hence, the critical question is, “Which option best respects the rights of all who have a stake?” (Santa Clara University). This reminds me of my personal experiences, particularly when I was put in a situation of having to make a tough decision regarding a friend’s honesty. I needed to consider the hurt I might cause by telling the truth and calling him out and balance it with the level of openness and honesty our relationship needed at that moment. It was a dilemma just like the ones described in the document, since I had to take the rights and feelings of each party into consideration, and it showed me again the subtlety in ethical decision-making. 

On a larger scale, reading through the ethical considerations of the text reminded me about the current global talk pertaining to climate change. Most countries have to make hard choices that affect their citizens and environment, and most often are based on short-run gains rather than long-term sustainability. In these contexts, the emphasis of the document on evaluating options through lenses such as the common good and the utilitarian lens will be paramount. For instance, economic development can be imperative, but it has to balance itself against environmental protections to meet the needs of the greater community. Debates about climate policies show some similarities, and yet many differences, between personal ethical dilemmas and ones such as those found in society.

In the article “40 years of storming: a historical review of Tuckman’s model of small group development,” Denise A. Bonebright comprehensively covers both the importance and the shortcomings of Bruce W. Tuckman’s model. His model outlines the stages of small group development. Initially, the model consisted of four stages main stages (Bonebright). There’s nothing like Tuckman’s model, considering my own experiences with the trend of group projects both at higher institutions and professional settings. For example, in college, multiple of my group projects went through what is undoubtedly the storming phase, where there were conflicting opinions resulting in debates. It agrees with what was described by Tuckman as conflict and resistance during the storming phase. Now that I understand the stages, I can deal better with such conflicts and come out with a more productive outcome.

On a larger scale, Tuckman’s model can be traced in most real-life situations, be it the development of organizational teams or the management of projects. The stages of this model reflect common experiences in work teams where initial conflicts give way to united and productive work. However, this model is relatively limited because it does not explain phenomena brought about by external influences, and the model is rather linear in relation to group dynamics, which are much more complex and iterative. For example, in global teams, cultural differences and changes in organizations are external influences that impact group development in ways hardly explained by Tuckman’s model.

Reading Anne Loehr’s article on values and leadership really got me thinking about my own path as a finance student about to start a career. Loehr talks about how important it is to know your values and stick to them when making decisions (Loehr). This really hits home for me because in finance, being trustworthy and honest is a big deal. As I get ready to work in this field, I realize how important it is to have strong values guiding my choices.

Loehr’s points also made me think about the Wells Fargo scandal, where things went really wrong because the company’s leaders didn’t stick to good values. They were so focused on hitting sales targets that they ended up doing some really unethical things, like creating fake accounts. This whole mess shows just how important it is to have strong values in finance, just like Loehr says. When companies ignore their values, it can lead to serious problems, not just for them, but for the entire industry.

Looking at these examples, I’m more determined than ever to make sure my future job in finance is guided by strong ethics. By staying true to my values, I hope to make a positive impact in the industry and avoid the kind of trouble Wells Fargo got into.

The qualities Ted Myers highlights in “Top 10 Qualities That Make a Great Leader” really connect with my own experiences working at Burgerfi. For example, the importance of delegation stood out to me because it reminded me of a time during a busy shift when we were short-staffed and had new employees. My boss initially tried to handle everything himself, but he quickly realized that trusting the team with specific tasks improved the overall quality of our work and allowed us to focus on the more important things, just like Myers talks about. This taught me that effective delegation is actually a strength, not a weakness. My favorite trait that was listed is honesty. Honesty is a cornerstone of effective leadership and is crucial for building trust within a team. When a leader upholds high ethical standards, it sets the tone for the entire organization. This article is different from anything I’ve read before for a few reasons. My favorite trait Myers listed is honesty. Honesty is so important in leadership because it helps build trust within a team. When leaders are honest and uphold high ethical standards, it sets a good example for everyone else. This was my first time reading an article on LinkedIn, and I was surprised by how interesting and informative it was. It has made me want to read more articles on the platform. Also, I feel like I actually learned something from it, which is more than I can say for most of the stuff I’ve read lately.

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