Ethical Decision Making - CHAP Joshua Bouzanquet and WO2 Tony Campbell

‘We need to have the ability [and] confidence in ourselves … that we are making ethical decisions’. Today’s episode is on Ethical Decision Making, and with this quote, WO2 Campbell explains that the decisions that our officers and leaders often must make are so far beyond the immediate realm and have the potential for far reaching consequences.

CHAP Bouzanquet deftly provides an explanation for the subtle differences between Ethics and Morality. Ethics is the process in which we decide what is right or wrong based on a set of laws and rules set by the courts and is very action and consequences based. Morals is more based on who we are: what type of human being am I and what do I bring of my humanity? Whilst anyone can follow a set of rules; it is how we interpret those rules that becomes the question about our moral character.

WO2 Campbell also explains the framework ADFA currently uses to guide our future leaders in their journey towards ethical decision making, and that is to ‘build up muscle memory’. This includes understanding what the rules and laws are, understand what our duty is in any given situation and what the desired outcome is, and who we are as an organisation and what virtues and values we have. Finally, there is reflection where we evaluate our thinking, particularly around big decisions, and ask ourselves fundamental questions.

Our guests this episode, CHAP Joshua Bouzanquet and WO2 Tony Campbell, join us to provide insights into the reality and consequences of the complex decisions that we often must make on the fly when on deployment.

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