Sunday, December 7, 2008

THE THREE ETHICAL C's

In seeking to develop character in your student-athletes, focus on the three ethical C’s: commitment, consciousness, and competency.

COMMITMENT
Encourage their desire to do the right thing. Stress the long-term personal advantages of being a person of character (trusting relationships, self-esteem, and peace of mind) and advocate that virtue is its own reward and that a person of good character is an objective that is worthy of attainment regardless of whether or not it produces practical benefits.

CONSCIOUSNESS
Enhance their ability to perceive and understand the moral dimensions of their choices and the applicability of ethical principles to concrete sports situations and to think about how their decisions will affect others.

COMPETENCY
Improve their moral reasoning in the way they evaluate facts; distinguish informed opinions from conjecture, speculation, and assumption; predict and consider unintended consequences; and implement decisions with tact and good sense.

Courtesy of the Josephson Institute