Question

Once we have understood what the SAD Formula entails after today's class (the section on 'empathy' 'solutions and opinion' will be explained in our next class), it is your turn to start with your first assignment in pairs. Please note that the topic for your assignment will change (not about Hawaii but about Food as explained below). The reason why we discuss many topics is to make it easier for you since you will have more examples to understand how a SAD formula is developed. Your SAD Formula assignment must be based on the following news article. The ethical dilemma found in it that you decide to solve must be related to Food or Food Intake and it must take place in South Asia or Sub-Saharan Africa. LINK: Diet for healthy people, healthy planet too costly for some

What are some solutions to this dilemma?

Answer 1

1. Solve ethical dilemmas by adopting "and."

Peak performers recognize collisions of "rights" and move the group away from making each other wrong and towards resolving the dilemma. To do this, invite the group to design a solution that embodies the magic of "and." The narrative then becomes:

Good for the unit AND good for the whole.

Good for the long term AND good for the short term.

Truth AND loyalty.

Justice AND mercy.

When leaders can get the group to use this powerful orientation, they will most likely resolve the dilemma.

2. Think about outcomes.

If you find yourself in a situation when this approach doesn't work, you can resolve a right versus right dilemma by finding the highest "right." Kidder wrote that there are three ways to make the best choice when faced with these types of dilemmas:

Ends-based: Select the option that generates the most good for the most people.

Rule-based: Choose as if you're creating a universal standard. Follow the standard that you want others to follow.

Care-based: Choose as if you were the one most affected by your decision.

Once you've identified an ethical right versus right ​dilemma, lay out your options according to these three principles. One approach will immediately present itself as the "most right."

3. Keep the group committed to the decision.

No matter what decision-making approach makes the most sense for a given situation, it's important to keep the group committed to the decision. To do this, adopt a working definition of consensus as the group tries to resolve these dilemmas. Instead of using the traditional definition of consensus where everybody is expected to agree with everything, switch it up to use the following definition:

Was the process to make the decision deemed rational and fair to all involved?

Was each person involved in the discussion treated well and listened to?

Assuming the group is satisfied with No. 1 and No. 2, can they live with and commit to the outcome? (Notice it does not say agree with the outcome.)

Listen carefully when people unknowingly argue about right versus right. Often it's not apparent to the people involved. Point it out and they will begin to think about these situations differently. And make sure they are using the working definition of consensus when forging their agreements.

Using these skills, you will become intensely important to the vitality of the company -- you keep the group moving forward in spite of their inevitable encounter with ethical dilemmas.