Why Do Leaders Lead Ethically?

In this article, the authors utilize the staff survey from Veterans Health Administration employs to obtain the data about how is employees’ perception of the ethics to their organizations in healthcare. The result shows that if the mangers in the organization are more righteous, specific of their expectations, trust worthy, and ethical to their followers, the employees will have a better rate of the ethics of their organization. This article pointed out that an effective leadership in healthcare can influence how employees’ perception to ethics of their organization.

In a Monster.com featured article titled, “How Leaders Can Be Ethical Role Models” author Cheri Swales takes an intricate look at leadership and being an ethical role model. As she reveals, these things are not mutually exclusive events. In fact, in order to keep businesses, programs, and other opportunities alike equal and honest, ethical role modeling likely needs a firm place in leadership roles everywhere. Yet, Swales knows that acknowledging a need for change accomplishes nothing unless there is also a plan. For this reason, her articles includes a list of ten actions that leaders can take to be ethical role models. For example, one of the first recommendations is to include ethics training to employees. In addition, the article also suggests

Additionally, Ethics should be reflected from the behavior of the managers. Ethical behavior is of critical importance to supervisors and managers of the organizations. Ethics reflect both human resources and economic issues. A manager with good ethics and good behavior with the people working under him is always appreciated by the employees. The managers whose good morals are reflected with their behavior are in a position to convince the team members to accept the decision of the manager easily. “If leaders want their people to do the right thing most of the time, they have to role model the right thing all the time.” (Clinton, 2008)

When leading other individuals, it is imperative that one be ethical themselves, in order to lead ethically. A person, who is unethical, is going to inspire unethical behaviors in others. When members of an organization see that nothing happens to their leaders, others will fall into the same unethical behavior and rationalize that what they are doing is ok as well (Mallor et al., 1966/2010, p. 119). Leaders must set the example of ethical behavior for others.

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.

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)

In today’s society, a person can make a single decision, which can positively and negatively affect their family, employer, co-workers and/or even the entire world. That said, the life we as individuals lead reflects the strength of a single trait and that is our personal character. Though personal ethics vary from person to person; people want to be known as a good person, someone who can be trusted and who is concerned about his or her relationships and personal reputations. However, ethics has a major issue in leadership positions. In order to create a strong ethical based environment, it is critical to have an appropriate leader and leadership integrity. According to Johnson (2013), ethical leadership can be perceived as both a moral person and a moral manager. In this essay, I will evaluate the importance of ethical leadership and the role it plays in daily lives. Lastly, I will apply my personal leadership perspective. My perspective will include the path goal theory and the ethical practices that I find to important to leadership.

Companies are supposed to be able to achieve and demonstrate an ever increasing performance showing improvement on leading in their industries to acquire competitive advantages. Having a high level of performance could be greatest achieved with competent and motivated employees. The conduct of business in an organization with an ethical manner is of great importance to secure an increasing performance as well. Organizations functioning towards ethical standards should ensure unbiased applications of business and recall a sense of justice to stimulate motivation among their employees. Employees that are motivated through a positive ethical organizational climate and leadership do much better than a less motivated employee. This promotes the organizational achievement that causes

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.

Ethical leadership is commonly connected with characteristics like fairness and honesty, that can enable a person within an organization to do the right thing. In responding to the lack of attention to the ethical dimensions of positive leadership Brown and colleagues designed a definition for ethical leadership. They would define it as “the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such

M., Aquino, K., Greenbaum, R. L., & Kuenzi, M. (2012). Who displays ethical leadership, and why does it matter? An examination of antecedents and consequences of ethical leadership. Academy of Management Journal, 55(1), 151-171.

Mayer, Aquino, Greenbaum, and Kuenz (2012) stated that ethical leaders exhibit normatively appropriate conduct through their actions and interpersonal relationships with employees in work units as well as stressed the importance of two-way communication in such a way that they are concerned not only with expressing their own opinions, but also with listening to and getting along with others. Ethical leadership is important because organizations are looking at means to decrease employees’ unethical behavior and mitigate any instances of relationship conflict. Ensuring that the chief executive officer and others in organizational positions demonstrate the proper example will go a long way to serve as models for the employees to follow.

This week I chose to focus on ethical leadership within a company. Most people may already have their own ideas as to what ethical leadership already is, however not everyone will be on the same page as to what it is. Ethical leadership has been defined as the practice of behaviors that are deemed normal through personal actions and interpersonal relationships (Neves and Story, 2013). Because of this what might seem ethical to someone from China, may not be viewed in the same light here in the U.S. The article I read suggests that there are several factors when it comes to ethical leadership within a company. Work environment being one of the factors, as well as job characteristics and trust in leader (Neves and Story, 2013).

This broader concept of ethical leadership empowers leaders to incorporate and be explicit about their own values and ethics. The following list provides a framework for developing ethical leadership. It is based on the observations of and conversations with a host of executives and students over the past 25 years, and on readings of both popular and scholarly business literature. Written from the perspective of the leader, these ten facets of ethical leaders offer a way to understand ethical leadership that is more complex and more useful than just a matter of “good character and values.”

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.