“People will not follow a leader with moral incongruities for long. Everytime you compromise your character, you compromise your leadership. The foundation of firm leadership is character.” (Bill Hybels)
Leaders have many important responsibilities and great moral implications. Being ethical and moral is an integral part of leadership, and it should never be compromised. Jane Van Buren in the video “What is Ethical Leadership” (March 29, 2013) defined ethics as principles, values, beliefs that define what is right, and what is the wrong behavior. Leaders set the moral tone for the entire organization. Leaders are the ones who uphold the shared values of the organization and see the cultural tone. Jane Van Buren in the video “What is Ethical Leadership” (March 29, 2013) talked about various moral implications of an active leader, their importance, and application in the growth of an organization are enlisted below:
Being a visible role model: Leaders have to act as role models for the organization. It can start with something as small as washing your coffee mug to encourage others to do so as well (Jane Van Buren, 2013). My boss is an excellent example of this. I started working at this job just a month ago, and I’m amazed by the leadership and ethical standards. I have seen the boss do the most basic stuff like cleaning or just handling customers first hand while the rush hour and this way he is a great role model for everyone else. This enhances teamwork behavior and also makes everyone work even harder.
Communicate ethical expectations: Communicating clear ethical expectations is very important for an organization. Creating an organizational code of ethics is the first step. Talking about and conveying clear ethical values and central ideas of a company goes a long way.
Promote ethical training: Ethical training should be a part of company’s schedule. Seminar, workshops and group discussions should be encouraged. Sitting with the whole team and talking about various moral or ethical dilemmas and their answers should be encouraged. This also promotes the feeling of trust and safety among teammates.
Other methods like institutionalization of ethical culture and providing protective mechanism can also help enhance ethical values of an organization. Above all, it is important to talk about and understand the necessity of high moral standards and practicing leadership ethically as it is indeed a great responsibility.
References
Van Buren, J. (2013, March 29). What is Ethical Leadership? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks2QGoIq5nA
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