Leaders are challenged to make high-stakes decisions that affect business results. Good leaders use both reason and emotion to make decisions that have an impact on employees and customers and often establish the ethical atmosphere of the organization.
Write a 250- to 300-word response to the following:
What does it take for leaders to make sound and ethical business decisions? Explain.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Art of Ethical Leadership: Balancing Reason and Emotion
In today’s complex business environment, leaders are often confronted with high-stakes decisions that not only affect the bottom line but also shape the ethical climate of their organizations. To navigate these challenges effectively, leaders must cultivate a blend of reason and emotion, ensuring that their decisions resonate with both logical analysis and the human experience.
First and foremost, sound ethical decision-making begins with a strong moral framework. Leaders must possess a clear understanding of their values and principles, which serve as a compass in times of uncertainty. This foundation enables them to evaluate options against a set of ethical standards and determine the potential consequences of their actions on employees, customers, and stakeholders.
Moreover, effective leaders engage in active listening and foster open communication. By encouraging dialogue within their teams, they gain diverse perspectives that enrich the decision-making process. This inclusive approach not only enhances the quality of the decisions made but also builds trust and transparency, critical components of an ethical organizational culture.
Additionally, leaders must be adept at emotional intelligence. Understanding the emotional landscape of their teams allows leaders to gauge how decisions will impact employee morale and motivation. A leader who demonstrates empathy can better align business objectives with the well-being of their workforce, creating a harmonious balance between operational needs and ethical considerations.
Lastly, accountability is essential for ethical leadership. By owning their decisions and being transparent about the decision-making process, leaders set a precedent for ethical behavior throughout the organization. They must be willing to face the consequences of their choices, reinforcing the importance of integrity in business practices.
In conclusion, sound and ethical decision-making requires a multifaceted approach that combines moral clarity, open communication, emotional intelligence, and accountability. By embodying these qualities, leaders not only navigate high-stakes situations more effectively but also cultivate an ethical atmosphere that fosters trust and commitment among employees and customers alike.
