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Leadership and Ethics
Ethics is central to
leadership as leaders help to establish and reinforce
organizational values. Leaders play a major role in
establishing and regulating the ethical ambient of any
organization. An ethics based approach to Leadership
described and identified some leadership styles in
organizations.3
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Leaders with
unethical styles use their positions for their benefits
or for a special group at the expense of others. These
leaders use positions as a platform for ego-boosting
rather than accomplishing good and also seek retribution
against those with opposing and conflicting views.
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Ethically neutral
leaders do not take time to reflect on any subtle
ethical issues; mostly due to lack of awareness,
discernment or moral courage.
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Ethical leaders
encourage feedback and dialogues. They mostly bring
attention to critical issues, promote honest and candid
discussions, manage competing perspectives and
facilitate the decision making process in a timely
manner. These leaders make sacrifices for the common
good and show uncommon courage. These leaders are
called servant-leaders as they are highly concerned
about empathy, empowerment, healing, openness, listening
and equality.
Promoting
organizational-centered ethics or ethics based
leadership does not eliminate individual-centered
ethics. Acknowledging organizational influence
does not remove personal responsibility although
individuals are predisposed to be influenced by the
organization. After all, what individuals do is often
affected by the organizational culture. This is
why the Psalmist declares “How blessed is the one who
does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in
the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of
scoffers!”Ps.1:1 (N.E.T). Where someone is standing
shows where he or she had been sitting.
3. Jonathan P. West, and Evan
M. Berman, eds., The Ethics Edge, 2d ed.
(Washington D.C.: International City / County
Management Association, 2006).
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