Leadership, Ethics, and Irrational Behavior - Essay Example

?Running Head: LEADERSHIP, ETHICS AND IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR A Research Paper on Leadership, Ethics and Irrational Behavior Course Date Leadership, Ethics and Irrational Behavior In the precept of leadership, the two terms of great influence and relationships are ethics and behavior. The study is aimed to present the relationships between the concept of leadership, ethics and the irrational behavior theory of leaders. Specifically, one of the main goals is the determination of the implications of irrational behavior on ethical decision making. Definition of Terms To be able to understand the interrelationships and implications of the concepts, it is important to individually define the terms. Leadership is the manner by which a leader handles people and resources to achieve common organizational goals. The leader is a person who has the capability to influence a group of individuals in the process of attaining the objectives of the group (Northouse, 2009, p.3). Leadership can be affected by different factors such as the traits and the manner by which a person leads and influences others. For that matter, it can then be considered to have correlation with the character and behavior of a leader (p.5). This is where the concepts of ethics and irrational behaviors enter. Ethics is related to the decorum, which based on the purpose of the study is related to the proper attitude within an organization. One definition had been presented through the model of living code of ethics in a positive ethical organization which showed ethical organizational identity as the product of the interaction between the authentic leadership, aligned processes, and ethical culture of the organization (Verbos et al., 2007, p.19). Based on the said definition, leadership and ethics in an organization are contributing factors to the success and achievement of goals. Irrational behavior is the third concept in the study which represents the challenges and the hindrances encountered by the leaders of organizations. This concept represents the lapse of judgment or mistake in the decision-making process committed by the leader of an organization. Due to the fact that the occurrence of such mistakes can be considered inevitable due to complexity of interactions of the different factors within an organization, the science of irrational behavior is one of the main subjects in the study (Brafman and Brafman, 2009, p.1). The Relationship of Ethics and Leadership It is an ideal notion that leadership and ethics work hand in hand for the achievement of goals. Although perceived as good for the organization, this is not always the case due to the different factors that can affect the decision making process and the perception of a leader and the members of the group. In the study by Caldwell and colleagues, the leaders were described as “ethical stewards” and stress the importance of trust and leadership in an organization. The authors presented an ethical stewardship analysis that discusses the different issues of governance, the ethical stewardship characteristic and the leadership implication. One issue presented was the ethical focus. Based on the study, by focusing on ethical goals, there is commitment not only to the interest of the society but to the welfare, virtues and rights of the members of the society. In this case, the leader will not only focus on the profitability of the company but on the welfare of the people in the society (Caldwell et al., 2008, p.155). In general, the study presented the positive influence of ethics in the achievement of a focused and rational form of leadership in an organization. One example that can be cited is the case of spiritual, philosophical or religious leaders. In the study by Heine, he focused on the relationship between the success in business and the decision-making ad interpersonal skills shaped by the philosophical and spiritual outlooks of the different cultures around the world and the different eras through history. Based on the conclusion of the study, a deep philosophical and spiritual interest can mold a leader to be ethical with reference to the norms of his society or his place of origin (Heine, 2008, p.126). Another important vision in the study of the relationship between ethics and leadership is the research of Verbos and her colleagues on the positive ethical organization. The main paradigm in the study is the “living code of ethics which is a combination of authentic leadership; key organizational processes – attraction-selection-attrition, socialization, reward systems, decision-making and organizational learning; and ethical organizational culture.” These factors cover the cognitive, affective and behavioral aspects. It can be considered to focus on the harmonious and ethical interactions within the system to be able to achieve common goals. Based on the study “the right thing to do is the only thing to do” (Verbos et al., 2007, p.17). The study conducted by Verbos and her colleagues presented an alternative for the irrational behavior theory which is focused on the determination and study of the negative phenomena in an organization, such as the ethical failures and misbehaviors of the leader and the members of the organization. Irrational behaviors can be considered as the “lapses in ethical behavior” or misconduct. Based on the irrational behavior theory, by determining the occurrence of the negative phenomena in the organization or the cases of actions undertaken by the organization to resolve such problems, the ethics and the leadership of the company can be determined (Verbos et al., 2007, p.17). Based on the studies discussing the relationship of ethics and leadership, ethics has a positive effect on the quality of leadership. In addition, the organizational culture, organizational behavior and decision making process of the leader can positively be affected thus improving the performance of the whole organization. Exploration of the Different Issues Regarding Leadership, Ethics and Irrational Behavior Upon the determination of the different principles and foundations of the interaction between the three concepts, there are different issues needed to be given attention. One is the issue regarding the leadership of an unethical person. Based on the fact that ethics can be considered as one of the main foundations of leadership, can an unethical person be called a leader? Leadership based on the earlier definition is the influence of a person over other people in the group toward the achievement of a particular goal (Northouse, 2009, p.5). Based on the said definition, influence can be positive or negative, ethical or unethical. For that matter, an unethical person can lead, but the organization would fail to optimize its potential in terms of achieving success in terms of profitability and welfare of the people intrinsic and extrinsic of the organization. For example in the case of Hitler, he is a leader because he was able to influence millions of people either in terms of a strong sense of decision making or fear. But he is cannot be considered an ethical leader since he committed irrational behavior against the people in his own region. Basically, Hitler can be considered as a toxic leader, one of the examples of irrational behavior of a leader. Based on the study conducted by Lipman-Blumen, toxic leaders are not simply authoritarian but they possess “destructive behaviors and dysfunctional personal qualities” that can greatly influence the organization or the people that follow them. There are intentional or reckless (unintentional) toxic leaders. Hitler with his massive goals can be classified as an intentional toxic leader. He conformed the character of grand illusions which according to the study “turns evil into virtue” (Lipma-Blumen, 2005, p.29). Unethical behaviors though are not limited to the leaders of an organization. It can affect even the other members such as the business executives in a company. This can either be attributed to the unethical organizational culture or the innate unethical capabilities of a person. In the study by Porras, Emery and Thompson which focused on charisma, one behavior or practice of a business executive the intentional or unintentional “gilding of the lily” or the prevention of telling the truth in terms of the transaction or the procedure. For that matter, most of the data or information from an executive are positive and pleasant to hear (2007, p.26). These issues are some of the many situation and scenarios that can be cited in the relationship between leadership, ethics and irrational behavior. Additional issues and examples of irrational behaviors were studied in the book Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Brafman and Brafman (2009). At a simple view, ethics can positively affect leadership and the organization as a whole while irrational behavior can cause negative effects. It is important to note that irrational behaviors are lapses in ethical decision-making process. Conclusion The paper was aimed to discuss and to present the relationship between leadership, ethics and irrational behavior. Through the process, the definitions of the said concepts had been determined. Leadership is the influence of a person over other person in a group with common goals. Ethics is the composition of proper norms or decorum acceptable in an organization. Ethics has a positive effect on the leadership on an organization since it can influence a leader to simultaneously prioritize profitability and welfare of the people within the organization and in the society. Due to complexities within the organization though, lapses in decision making occur, referred to as irrational behavior. One important conclusion of the study is the lesson that ethics, leadership, and irrational behaviors can be categorized as positive factors that can help a leader continuously improve himself, his performance and the performance of the organization by looking at the mistakes as challenges. Works Cited Brafman, O. and Brafman, R. (2009). Sway: The Irresistable Pull of Irrational Behavior. Doubleday. Caldwell, C., Hayes, L.A., Karri, R. and Bernal, P. (2008). Ethical Stewardship – Implications for Leadership and Trust. Journal of Business Ethics 78(1) 2008, 153-164. Heine, S. (2008). From Art of War to Attila the Hun: A Critical Survey of Recent Works on Philosophy/Spirituality and Business Leadership. Philosophy East & West 58(1) 2008, 126-143. Lipman-Blumen, J. Toxic Leadership: When Grand Illusions Masquerade as Noble Visions. Leader to Leader 36 (2005), 29-36. Northouse, P. (2009). Leadership: Theory and Practice. SAGE. Verbos, A.K., Gerard, J.A., Forshey, P., Harding, C. and Miller, J. (2007). The Positive Ethical Organization: Enacting a Living Code of Ethics and Ethical Organizational Identity. Journal of Business Ethics 76(1) 2007, 17-33. Read More