Personal Ethics Development

Personal Ethics Development

Felisha M. Pearson

PHL 323 - Ethics in Management

January 25, 2016

Leo Stevens

Personal Ethics Development

I believe that ethics became an intense driving force in my life when I began to recognize what was respectable from what is malicious. Attempting to nail down what governs my thought processes and leads me to respond to situations is not, at the moment, difficult for me. I am a Christian, and the tapestry of my belief system is not that complicated to me. I believe that I have one chance at life here, and this opportunity is not for me to serve myself. My desire is to live a life that is pleasing unto God; like Jesus did. Time has changed many peoples' perspectives of Christianity over the years. My mother raised me in church and has taught me about the Bible since I can remember. It was and is the cornerstone of who I am. I believe that I should treat others the way that I want to be treated, and when they choose not to treat me the way I treated them; I have to forgive and not hold resentment. Some people may see Christianity as duty-based ethics, and I can see how that could be. Perhaps it is a mix of a couple of ethical systems.

Developmental Aspects

Instability in our home while growing up almost made a cynical person out of me. We were poor, and our household was extremely dysfunctional. My father was an angry man that only knew how to discipline us, and went overboard on that. My mother worked hard and provided for us to the best of her ability. My father was a very dominant and manipulative man, and my mom was insecure and tolerated way too much. I watched them both and came to some conclusions pretty early on in life. I also watched other people and listened to other kids' stories about how things were in their homes. God was part of my life then, but it was not because I chose Him. During my high school years, my parents divorced, and life began to change fast. Gaining life experience also shaped me ethically and continues to. I have worked since I was twelve years old and learned the value of a dollar. Deeply rooted faith is the strongest source of my ethical makeup. It is obvious our decisions about ethical principles are guided somewhat by the norms and values we have gathered and picked up along the way (Jones, 2010).

The Underlying System

Because I am a Christian, the underlying system of what leads me and molds me ethically is the Bible. There are multitudes of scenarios found in those pages that teach how to live a life that is pleasing unto the Lord. There are lessons about love, forgiveness, patience, grace, honesty, integrity, facing adversity, and that is only naming a few. There are also other facets that mold me ethically. The Holy Spirit, some call it their conscience, but I know it as God's way of walking me through this journey. I pastor a church in my hometown, and our congregation does an incredible job of teaching me more about myself and God every time we fellowship. There are leadership teams and such, but everyone has a voice and is heard. Having a close relationship with church family keeps me accountable about who I am holistically.