The Word Forgiveness and the Ethical Leadership - Essay Example

The author will define forgiveness within the organizational context as not only understanding that what was done had unexpected/unintended outcomes but also realizing that people are only human and that such situations occur in life. Additionally, this brief essay will also try to show how forgiveness within the organization can benefit overall efficiency, trust, and further realization of human nature. Finally, the essay will point to two distinct ways in which the ethical leader can try to instill the ideas of love, forgiveness, or trust within the organization, business, family, or community.

The first benefit that trust and forgiveness can have on an organization is the greater level of stakeholder appreciation and buy-in that it can affect. In such a way, an individual who is a member of an organization that puts a high level of emphasis on trust and forgiveness will begin to understand that the culture of this organization and/or business prizes these aspects above personal ego or profitability. All too often in the business world, profitability takes the lead role and other aspects or ethics fall by the wayside. However, if an organization shows that they comprise these aspects, the individual stakeholders will also come to appreciate them as well as.

An obvious secondary benefit is with regards to how forgiveness and trust emphasize and appreciate within the organization that no one is perfect and all can make mistakes. This may seem as something quite obvious, however, by engaging in trust and forgiveness within the culture and human resource practices of an organization, community, or family, a culture of human understanding develops that does not place any ego above error. All too often, individuals within the higher structure of an organization or community set themselves up to have something of an infallible approach.

The final level of benefit is efficiency. Because fewer feelings are hurt and fewer frustrations and anger is exhibited, it is possible for a far greater level of work to be accomplished without personal differences or frustrations aggravating how work takes place. Although it cannot be said that the incorporation of a culture of trust and forgiveness means that full efficiency will be realized, it is extremely helpful in that an organization, community, or family can help to encourage further efficiency without sacrificing any form of ethics or personal rights.

With regards to two ways that an ethical leader can hope to encourage a greater level of trust and forgiveness within an organization, community, or family, it must be understood that these are primarily leading by example and by attempting to promote a culture of forgiveness and trust from the top down. Leaders from all organizations have understood throughout management experience that regardless of the level of controls or guidelines that they engage their employees/stakeholders with, these are all but useless unless leadership by example is engaged.

In short, even if a firm has a very solid human resources Department and a good product or service that they are offering, the level to which truth and forgiveness can be encouraged within this entity will be all but nonexistent if this same process is not engaged and shown to be appreciated from the very highest levels first. Similarly, a secondary method by which trust and forgiveness can be incorporated into a firm is by attempting to create a culture of trust and forgiveness. This is difficult at times due to the fact that it requires individuals from each and every level of the company/community/firm to champion forgiveness and trust within their own dealings. However, the first aspect of building trust and forgiveness within the firm which was discussed above helps these stakeholders in defining the way in which they will behave with others and encourages others to behave in the same way with those with which they interact on a daily basis. Read More