How Could Leader Be Ethical - Essay Example

? How Could A Leader Be Ethical? HOW COULD A LEADER BE ETHICAL? The standard of setting ethical values varies at executives and managerial level, according to the personality and leadership traits of these corporate key persons. These leaders set their own ethics and moral values for their organization in a pursuit to lead the process of ethical values evolution. When an organization is observed to suffer from the ‘ethic crisis’, the initial reaction of the people is to call for ethical leaders (Ciulla, 1998). Leaders have always had an important role to play in any workplace. Therefore, they have always been highly valued. The best leaders are the ones who have a well understanding of ethical behavior and values, and exhibit them fully, day to day, in their words and actions during their leadership. Therefore, ethical leadership is important as this is what differentiates between a capable leader and an incompetent one. But what exactly is ethical leadership? Most of us simple define it as ‘being led by a leader with good character’. But in reality, there is more to it than just that. The respect for values, a strong character, ability to listen, understand, mentor and navigate along with integrity and courage are just some of the basic qualities a leader should possess (Ciulla, 2007). Only then can he set an example for others to follow and seek guidance from. The most essential job for a good leader is to develop the atmosphere of trust and understanding among his people. Workplaces lacking trust face huge difficulties in working in a peaceful and coordinated environment. Trust can only be created if the leaders stick to the promises they make with their people. Dr. Duane C. Tway calls trust a ‘construct’, because it can take years, possible ages, to build but a minute to shatter (Ciulla, 1998). Therefore, even a minor conflict, element of hypocrisy or breaking of promises will result in the development of mistrust among the people and thus, cause productivity to suffer. Leaders can narrate morally rich, success stories to their followers but true ethical leaders live by their words and lead by self examples. This indeed is no ordinary job in today’s cruel world of business tycoons and political turmoil. So often, we have heard sky banging claims of leaders making promises to their electorates in the election campaign. However, their balloons get flat when they get to the throne – non ethical behavior. Likewise, CEOs in any organization are public figures, under close supervision of their subordinates (Ciulla, 2007). Every word uttered must be fulfilled, failing which their trust worthy model and front leading role will be destroyed forever. To judge the ethics of leaders, it is important that we analyze the circumstances in which they have to work. Leaders, strictly speaking, are part and parcel of their organization management taken as decision and policy makers. Thus, they must have a broad vision, sense of purpose and the ability to judge things beforehand. This allows them to navigate and guide their people through the hurdles and emerge at the end, successful and prosperous. But, it is to be noted here that guiding does not mean regarding them as followers, and are to be dictated. Rather, a good leader must understand that they and their people all have a mutual vision and purpose, and therefore, must aspire to develop a feeling of consensus among the workplace (Ciulla, 1998). Concurrently, a successful leader must keep both ends of communication channel open and available round the clock. Sharing different views, opinions and values with colleagues and subordinates does enhance the understanding of common goals set for all. This way, a leader raises the ethical standards far above the individual’s level to higher organization level. Everyone feels loyal to the company, an unfathomable trust that is not deterred by change of faces. Our history is full of successful leaders who are known as the icons of ethical values for their followers. Roger Enrico, former CEO of PepsiCo thrilled the world by putting long hours of dedicated efforts and yet drawing salary of $1 as token money. He was the same leader who contributed $1 million to a scholarship fund for PepsiCo employees’ children in 1998 (Press, 1998). Thus, proven becomes the fact that donation to charity may be done by every second CEO but pressing the right button at the right moment actually sets the driving force, as was done by Enrico by showing his love and affection to his employees’ beloveds and in turn winning their loyalty and dedication towards the organization. No lengthy speeches but small ethical deeds shall earmark a true leader. Ethical leaders must be particular of their principles and should work hard to implement them in the today’s working environment (Ciulla, 1998). Good leadership usually relies upon humility and steadfastness for own set principles at one end and readiness to accept the difference of opinion (Ciulla, 2007). One may not be right every time. The glass may appear half full to some and half empty to others. Having openness to learn and accept is the key to a good leader and hallmark of ethical values required for a successful business in today’s turbulent world. In fact, ethical values reaffirms discovery of improvement means and escalation methods in terms of new ideas and innovations. A successful leader in an organization deploys ethics right from the selection step to the ladder top, involved throughout the progressive phase. In fact, finding the best person for a particular job takes ethics and character as moral imperatives, mandatory for the organization success. According to several CEOs, finding a reliable person is far more important and challenging that a talented one (Ciulla, 1998). Having a morals card in their wallet and following the basic protocols about the company ethics is what most business executives think is the grand solution to the ethics problem. Thinking that ethics and values are just an “emotional” part of the managerial clan is clearly a misconception and an evident proof of distance from the truth. In organizations where ethics are actually a part of the high level protocols, employees actually consider whether they’re living a life with values. And above all, they expect their employers or boss to do the same. Ethical leaders must have a clear idea about the actions of the ordinary people and the reason they do so, knowing the fact that no two people are bound to have the same opinion or choice. For instance, Nelson Mandela discovered the mature and nicer inside person of his fellow prison inmates after thoroughly observing them for twenty seven years. While the transfer of a vicious prisoner, who supported Mandela’s protest, from Robbins Island, he faced Mr. Nelson and asserted “I just want to wish you people good luck.” (Mandela, 1994) Mandela, after interpreting that prisoner’s statement, accepted the fact that every person, no matter how much indulged in evil doings, has some good within. Therefore he, himself, took the responsibility to make that good side over power the personality of everyone. As a CEO once suggested, an ethical leadership should bring out the ethical side of the people, rather than forcing them to be ethical (Ciulla, 1998). One of the usual challenges faced by ethical leaders is the tough decision making, on both organizational and individual levels. An ethical leader must have the ability to differentiate between hitting the bandwagon and doing what is best for his company. Moreover, if a leader believes that particular agreement or decision is for the good of his/her people, then sticking to it will be the only right thing to do (Ciulla, 2007). Double – mindedness due to doubts or external pressure has always been seen as a sign of weakness and compromises the productivity of the organization. It is a common misconception that ethical leadership is merely about being nice. Exercising moral imagination, in terms of visualizing, developing and introducing new possibilities, is also vital. In this regard, one can see the example of Mohammed Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, who built a new banking system; one that adhered to the needs of the poor rather than the rich and provided loans at economic repayment rates for millions of Bangladeshis, aspiring to set up small scale businesses to earn their bread and butter for numerous years (Yunus, 2004). Being an ethical leader is definitely not a tough task. All it requires is a commitment to account for your own behavior, values and having the will to accept the responsibility of the affects of your decisions upon other and yourself. Not only that, but they should also hold themselves responsible for the consequences of their decisions upon their customers, suppliers, employees, and their stakeholders. The sense of responsibility is what makes a business successful both economically and, more importantly, create a great expression among the heart of all its stakeholders. If an organization simply aims to gain a huge profit and establish themselves as market giants, and completely ignore a sense of compliance to ethical values, then that organization will never gain the success it aimed for when it was created. References: Ciulla, J. B. (1998). Ethics, the heart of leadership. Westport, Conn: Quorum Books. Ciulla, J. B., Martin, C. W., & Solomon, R. C. (2007).Honest work: A business ethics reader. New York: Oxford University Press. “Boss Gives His Salary to Workers Pepsi Chief Funds $1M in Scholarships,” Associated Press, March 25, 1998. Mandela, N. (1994). Long walk to freedom: The autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Boston: Little, Brown. Mohammed Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, spoke at the Ruffin Lecture Series of the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, November 20, 2004. Read More