Confessions of an Economic: Hitman

This paper will first discuss briefly what ethics are and provide the definition for an ethical issue. An ethical leadership issue is identified and explained for this author’s practice area. We will then identify and discuss key strategies for leadership that are pertinent to the ethical issue. Next, empirical evidence which supports the strategies discussed will be analyzed. Then, the impact and importance of the strategies will be stated. The final step will be to provide a conclusion to the reader that summarizes the content and strategies.

The leader’s good attitude and their role will be their ethics which is very important for organization development, and performance. i understand that characteristics , roles, and motivation are very important to develop an organization performance. Also, leadership is a process that consist of communication, motivation, help, ethical principle, and cooperate between leaders and follower to develop organization and gain common goal.

Leaders can begin by establishing a systematic approach to ethics so when ethical issues do occur; the organization’s actions to address them match its core values. To do this, leaders should identify and discuss specific ethical challenges, determine how to approach them, and provide practical insights to help maintain and enhance ethical performance.

In a professional environment it is important as a manager to have a specific viewpoint and guideline when it comes to leading a team. Managers are leaders who must know their moral viewpoint and stance before taking on the task of being a leader. This paper will discuss my ethical viewpoint on how managers should lead a team along with the five characteristics I believe a manager should possess and why.

This paper will respond to three questions, “Are all managers leaders?” (Phillips & Gully, 2014, p. 425) “What are some common barriers preventing leaders from behaving ethically and how can these barriers be overcome?” (Phillips & Gully, 2014, p. 450) And “Is it possible for leadership substitutes to be effective?” (Phillips & Gully, 2014, p. 450)

My understanding of the seven tasks of the ethical leader in creating value for an organization’s stakeholders is that these seven tasks should lead as a guide to leaders. It is essential for leaders to be role models for their employees. A leader needs to not just think about themselves, but to consider how their actions will affect others, including the image of the company. Having a process for employees to address their concerns and feel they are being heard is very important for leading a team. This creates value and a feeling of belonging within a company. Developing key employees and utilizing their talents also gives them value as well as value for others. This raises the bar for them to step up and become role models as well. Always acting in the best interest of the company, even if it is letting someone go.

Leaders make critical decisions between right, wrong, and the lesser of two evils every day. These decisions can affect the person making the decision, their employees, and goals of the organization. There are many readings that describe ethics and leadership, but ethical leadership is basically knowing your inner values and having the courage to steadfastly live by them for the purpose of the common good. Southwestern College's Master of Science in Leadership program has given me a firm understanding of how important ethical reasoning is and how it impacts, good and bad, an organization.

In the ultimate analysis, organizational and leadership ethics is everybody’s responsibility, not just that of an elite few. This is because leadership is not a person or a position but rather a complex moral relationship between people, based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion, and a shared vision of the good as cited in Johnstone, 2013).

The reasons as to why I selected this book was heavily weighted on my personal interests. The fact that I am interested in matters of economics, imperialism, capitalism and deception and corruption on a government level, made reviewing Confessions of an economic hit man an enjoyable experience.

Leaders are responsible for influencing followers to perform actions, complete tasks, and behave in certain manners. Effective leaders also influence processes, stimulate change in attitudes and values, and amplify empowerment and self-efficacy of their followers, as they foster the internalization of corporate vision. The nurturing aspect of leadership can also raise an organization’s culture and employee’s values to higher levels of ethical behavior. By demonstrating ethical leadership we promote a high level of integrity that stimulates a sense of trustworthiness, and encourages subordinates to accept and follow our vision (Mickey, 2013).

In the book “The New Confessions of An Economic Hitman” by author John Perkins, he discusses in detail his experience as an economic hitman, and the role he played in underdeveloped and developing countries. He writes about his, various multinational corporations, political institutions, and the United States role in indebting countries to profit off them. Essentially, his book is about the United States way in expanding globalization and what can be done to stop the exploitation of other countries. John Perkins offers a new perspective on the study of international development and underdevelopment, and goes beyond numbers and graphs, to explain other factors that are a key contributor in the under development and development of some countries. In this essay, the strengths and weaknesses of this book will be discussed and compared to the perspectives of development covered in this course through the lectures and textbook. The opportunities that are presented around the world for this book to improve development outcomes, and threats around the world that may halt efforts to purse the changes that John Perkins wishes to see will also be discussed.

Ethical leadership is leadership that is involved in leading in a manner that respects the rights and dignity of others. As leaders are by nature in a position of social power, ethical leadership focuses on how leaders use their social power in the decisions they make, actions they engage in and ways they influence others. Leaders who are ethical demonstrate a level of integrity that is important for stimulating a sense of leader trustworthiness, which is important for followers to accept the vision of the leader.

Leadership is an organizational role that has an effect on every organizational matter. From the employees’ morale, customers’ satisfaction, and the organizational effectiveness, organizational leaders and their behaviors directly or indirectly affect everything. In addition to the leadership’s impact on the organization and its elements, leaders are often perceived as role models for the organizational members. Consequently, it is important that leaders are not only competent but also ethical in their everyday conduct, (Toor & Ofori, 2009). But, how can leader’s ethical behavior be distinguished? \ What are these ethical behaviors that affect the followers? And, how do we know when a leader is an ethical leader?

In order to be a successful ethical leader there are many activities that can be promoted to encourage ethical behavior in one’s organization. An ethical leader will create programs that endorse integrity in business. Programs can include setting guidelines for dealing with ethical issues, open discussion on ethical issues, and establish a protocol for people to get advice (Yukl, 2010). By establishing programs an ethical leader is really changing and encouraging moral behavior which can affect an organizations work environment and improve moral. By empowering your employees to know how to handle ethical dilemmas you create a new found trust.

The Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins is a well-known book in the past and even more well-known book in the present. To have experienced and lived through the hardship of being an economic hit man is astonishing. This novel contains knowledge and informative information, that even one who is not that knowledgeable about this field of study can understand and become further informed of how corrupt the major organizations in this global economy are like. Additionally, it can further inform those who already are in this field of study and suggest possible solution, that could lessen the impact and the control on an economic and political science standpoint. This SWOT analyse paper will provide informative points to show how the strengths of this novel outweighs the weaknesses, as well as how the author discuss the opportunities that can improve development outcome that outweighs the possible threats that can arise from such opportunities.