The Potter Box: Acting Ethically

 The Potter Box is useful for solving many different problems and ethical issues, even those not related to the field of public relations. Professor Bufkins introduced a case study to the class Wednesday that required us to use the Potter Box to solve an ethical issue relating to an intern at a company and what she was being asked to do. It did not take much to see that the issue was not an ethical one, the Potter box is not always used to see whether or not an issue is ethical but instead it is used to analyze the issue and, eventually, come to an action or decision.

A while ago, Professor Bufkins told the class a story about a girl that used the Potter Box to analyze her current relationship and decide whether or not she should break up with her boyfriend. I found this to be a really good example of using the tool in real life and it showed me another way to apply the things I learn in class to real life issues. Class work does not always have to be boring and if utilized in real life it helps students to get an actual grasp on how to use it in their future career fields.

I find more often than not that unethical practices evolve more out of being careless and not thinking things through than from people actually being unethical. If people actually take the time to sit down and analyze an issue and take it step by step as the Potter box does for you then they will see the impracticalities of acting unethically and would find a better way to go about the situation.

When making a decision you must first define the situation. What are the facts of the case? What is the actual problem you are trying to solve? After finding the answers to these questions establish the values related to the situation both negative and positive. What values are being put on the line? Which ones are you not willing to sacrifice? Next, loyalties must be outlined; state where your loyalties lie and determine all stakeholders that might be affected by your actions, both good and bad.  Lastly, ask yourself what are the principles of the situation? Identify competing principles and determine which ones are most important to you, the company and/or the situation. After you have done all of this you should very well be able to come to an action or decision and act accordingly.

By explicitly stating these things and getting your ideas down on paper it is much easier to see the bigger picture and grasp the situation for what it really is. What we have learned about the Potter box has shown me that instead of just coming to what I believe to be the best action or decision regardless of the situation, I need to sit down and actually analyze the situation. After the analysis the decision I make will be much better thought out.

-Alisha Mychele