Leadership essay

I am grateful that my master’s program included an ethics course that imparted historical and philosophical ethical knowledge as it relates to leadership. Moreover, we gained insight to our own values and concepts of morality. While not applicable to every situation, the development of a personal code is still necessary since we operate in a complex world without knowing all the facts in any given situation—including the consequences of our well-meaning intentions. After all, we find ourselves vulnerable to unethical behavior and choices when acting without a set moral compass. Thus, as Howard and Korver remind us, “the best time to answer [ethical] questions is before we face them. We can then consider, without the distorting pressure of a real situation, how they affect our character and relationships."

Hence, my personal ethics code blends positive statements of ethics with action-based guidelines to discuss five main considerations. These include lying and deception, stealing, harming, professional ethics, and proximity to ethical behaviors. An overarching theme in this code is harm avoidance. Moreover, I do not to pass judgment on others because I can only speak from my own experience. Overall, since truth is not universal, we can only act with good intentions—not decide for others how they should feel as a consequence.

Nevertheless, as leaders, we must rely on ethics to help us solve complex problems in a world full of gray areas. As implied, there is an inherent moral dimension to leadership, as our actions impact others’ experiences. Therefore, ethical leadership is defined by Brown et al. as “the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making." Practicing ethical leadership starts by embodying our personal values (i.e. living by our personal ethics code). For example, transformational leadership theory relies on leaders to behave morally.

Using the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model, we can clearly identify the moral dimensions of transformational leadership. The five practices are Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Other to Act, and Encourage the Heart. Use of this model requires us to consider our own behavior when answering the following questions. What values am I modelling for my followers? Is our vision beneficial and enriching for the group? Am I analyzing the ethical environment and challenging behaviors that do not comport with stated values? Am I uplifting and promoting others so they can live in accordance with their values? And finally, do I pause to recognize the achievements earned through our collective ethical behavior? Reflecting on these questions gives us the opportunity to reframe the way we view our goals and processes.

Applied Organizational Ethics: A Four Frame Perspective

If not swayed by the intrinsic value of ethical behavior, there is always the business case. As Kar reminds us, acting unethically can tarnish the image of an entire organization. Therefore, ethical behavior can be viewed as a competitive advantage. Prescriptive models such as the one from Kouzes and Posner work by translating personal and group values into five actionable steps leaders should take.

However, Bolman and Deal view ethical behavior as the holistic cultivation of the organization’s soul. To develop that soul, leaders have specific responsibilities to their followers relevant to the four frames of an organization. Those frames are the structural frame, human resource frame, political frame, and symbolic frame. From a structural, task-based perspective, the ultimate goal is excellence (i.e. effective, efficient, and high-quality). To achieve this goal, ethical leaders should grant their followers authorship—or rather, the autonomy and creativity to achieve and maintain excellence. In practice, this could mean allowing your employees to change the way works get done. Doing so would demonstrate confidence in your team as well as consideration for their own values and priorities.

From a people-centered, human resource perspective, leaders have an ethical responsibility to care about their followers. Bolman and Deal explain, “caring begins with knowing; it requires listening, understanding, and accepting. It progresses through a deepening sense of appreciation, respect, and ultimately love." Subsequently, leaders should establish compassion and consideration as part of their team’s culture. This tenant is also found in servant leadership theory that values service to others above all else.

Next, the political frame recognizes that there is always competition for limited resources. Therefore, leaders are ethically responsible to seek justice. This is described by Bolman and Deal as enhancing the power of excluded and vulnerable groups. The final frame (the symbolic frame) asks leaders to ensure their organization embodies caring, justice, and excellence. Doing so establishes a sense of purpose and significance. In short, ethical leaders develop the character, or soul, of their organization by creating an environment where followers with thrive.

Whether we use the four-frame approach from Bolman and Deal, the Five Practices Model from Kouzes and Posner, or any other leadership model that prescribes ethical behavior, it is important for leaders to first establish their own values and ethics. While a personal code will not account for all situations, it can act as a starting place or guiding beacon to stay the course. Thankfully, my education has allowed me to create my own code of ethics and to impart ways in which ethical leadership can be applied. As a result, I have the confidence to lead ethically as well as the humility to admit that we can always learn more and grow.