In MonicaGrace’s post on the moral implications of leadership, she presented an analogy that compared our actions as leaders to a single water droplet having the power to create concentric and repeating “ripple effects”. She says that “The leader can be compared to the first drop of water in a pond and their effects (whether “negative” or “positive”) are the ripples that are felt in their spheres of influence” (MonicaGrace, 2019) This is a powerful word picture that describes how far reaching our impact as leaders can have.
Northouse (2019) states that “ethics is central to leadership” because of the level of influence inherent to the leadership process (pg. 342). If we adopt the Burns perspective on ethical leadership and hold our followers to higher standards of moral responsibility (Northouse, 2019, pg. 343), then we need to hold ourselves to an even higher moral standard. We need to recognize that our influence can be far reaching, because as leaders we not only lead our own organization, but are part of a wider community. Our followers are connected to others in the community, and our community is connected to the wider world. With the added dimension of social media, our influence can very quickly transcend time and space.
I live in a small town in rural BC. I see this ripple effect continuously as relationships are close knitted. Often the actions of one person can be told very quickly to many social circles in a small amount of time. I am continually surprised at how many people often know details of my life that they came across through connections I wasn’t even aware of. I am very aware of the fact that if I drop a pebble in the water (by one small action), word of it will spread very quickly to broader social circles. This makes me cautious of my actions both professionally and personally.
Jane VanBuren made an interesting point in her video on “What is Ethical Leadership?” She said, “If it hits the news, will you be able to hold your head high”? (VanBuren, 2013). As leaders, we need to be keenly aware that we not only need to be ethical leaders in the workplace, but we need to be ethical people at all times. Anything we do in our private lives has impact on our professional life. We should strive to be transparent in both.
In the teaching profession, we have a code of conduct, because this is such an important issue. The second most important item in our code of conduct is that “Educators are role models who act ethically and honestly”:
Educators act with integrity, maintaining the dignity and credibility of the profession. They understand that their individual conduct contributes to the perception of the profession as a whole. Educators are accountable for their conduct while on duty, as well as off duty, where that conduct has an effect on the education system. (TRB, n.d.)
If we strive to be ethical people at all times, then our conduct will not only benefit those whom we lead, but our communities, and the wider professional systems in which we work.
References:
MonicaGrace (2019). Unit 7 Activity 1 – “Ripple Effects”. [Web blog comment]. Retrieved from https://create.twu.ca/monicagrace/2018/11/10/unit-7-activity-1-ripple-effects/
Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice. Eighth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications.
VanBuren, J. [BuildingCapacity]. (2013, March 29). What is Ethical Leadership? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks2QGoIq5nA.
Teacher Regulation Branch (n.d.). Standards for the Education, Competence and Professional Conduct of Educators in BC. Retrieved from https://www.bcteacherregulation.ca/Standards/StandardsDevelopment.aspx