Some decisions feel like they have no good answer. You’re stuck between two hard options, both with real consequences. Maybe it’s choosing between paying rent or buying medicine. Maybe it’s deciding whether to stay in a job that drains you or risk the unknown.

These are the moments when leadership gets real. And this is where the REL model becomes more than a concept, it becomes a compass. Rational-Ethical Leadership helps you navigate tough decisions by slowing down the moment, clarifying your values, and guiding you toward a choice that honors both your future and your integrity.

Let’s walk through a story that shows how.

REL in REAL Life: A Story from Amman

Rania is a 41-year-old Syrian refugee living in Amman, Jordan. She’s a trained nurse, but her qualifications aren’t recognized in her new country. To support her family, she works long hours cleaning offices. One day, she’s offered a better-paying job, under the table, no questions asked, but it involves transporting goods she suspects might be counterfeit. The money could cover her daughter’s school fees and her father’s medication. But something doesn’t sit right. Rania feels the weight of the decision. She’s exhausted. She’s scared. And she’s tempted to say yes.

But she pauses. She opens her worn copy of the REL Way guidebook and walks herself through the compass.

Rania’s Thought Process

1. Think Long-Term

She asks herself: What will this decision mean for my future, and my family’s?

The money would help now. But if she’s caught, she could lose everything: her work permit, her reputation and her ability to stay in the country. More than that, she worries about what her daughter would learn from watching her compromise.

2. Act with Integrity

Next, she reflects: What choice aligns with who I want to be?

Rania wants to be someone her children can look up to. Someone who doesn’t just survive, but survives with dignity. That means saying no to shortcuts that could harm others or herself.

3. Resist Emotional Impulsivity

She feels the panic rising. What if I never get another offer like this?

But she breathes. She gives herself 24 hours. In that space, she remembers a neighbor who mentioned a local clinic looking for volunteers. It doesn’t pay, but it could lead to a reference, and maybe a legal job in healthcare down the line.

The Outcome

Rania turns down the offer. It’s hard. She still worries. But she feels grounded. A week later, she starts volunteering at the clinic. Three months later, she’s offered a part-time job as a caregiver for an elderly patient. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest. And it’s hers.

That’s the courage to choose. That’s the REL Way.

Try It Today

Ask yourself:

What decision am I facing, and how can I think long-term, act with integrity, and resist emotional impulsivity?

You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need a compass, and the courage to follow it.

Explore more tools like this in the REL Way guidebook series; available now on Amazon.