Ethics in Leadership. The failures and triumphs that leaders encounter
Ethics in Leadership
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Ethics in Leadership
The failures and triumphs that leaders encounter morally bear with them greater volume and weight than the same incidences if a non-leader encounters them. Morality is seen to be magnified in leadership, and that becomes the sole reason the understanding of leadership requires one to carry out the study of ethics. Studying ethics is concerned with human relationships. It entails what should be done and what people should be like, keeping in mind that they are members of a society or group, and the various duties that they play in life. Ethics is all about the good and evil and the right and the wrong (Frederickson & Ghere, 2005). Mainly, leadership is recognized as a form of human relationship. Among the symbols of this relationship include responsibility, vision, obligation, influence and or power. In the study, if one understands the ethics concerned with this relationship, then he understands leadership since both leadership and ethics share some central issues.
The central issues comprise of self-discipline, challenges of authenticity and self-interest, and the obligations that are moral and are related to duty, competence, justice and the right. The question that is concerned with ethics and their effectiveness matches the theories that take teleological and deontological perspectives in ethics. The deontological perception asserts that an act is morally relevant to the intentions. The leader is perceived to act ethically if he acts according to the moral principles or according to his duty, without paying much attention to the consequences. The teleological perspective pays much attention to the outcomes of the actions of the leader as long as it leads to morally good result. The difference between these two perspectives/theories is that the deontological perspective has its ethics founded on the moral intentions of the leader together with his ability to justify his action morally, while the teleological view has its principles based on the results of the action (Matulich & Currie, 2009).
In the organizations, the leaders have their professional conduct guided by the set code of ethics and standards. These standards maintain that the leaders must act with respect, competence, and integrity. It also maintains that they must prioritize the integrity of their profession and the clients’ interest above their own. The leaders are also required to ensure the maintenance and development of their professional competence. These standards of professional conduct are concerned with the duties to the employees and clients, the analysis of investment and making recommendation, the responsibilities and conflicts of interest and the integrity, and professionalism of the capital markets (Frederickson & Ghere, 2005).
Apart from the professional code of conduct, an individual may have the personal code of conduct. A person may set his ethical beliefs to suit the people he is serving. The first ethical code is that companies and people to put what they say into practice. The code of conduct may also govern the person to treat all people with kindness and fairness unless the people avail a valid reason to him why he should not do it (Rodney, Storch & Starzomski, 2004). The companies should resolve into the decisions that favor the society and treat their employees in a manner that is fair. The person may include into his code of conduct that it is his job to avail information to his superiors and supervisors about any person who acts contrary to the policy or carrying out the responsibilities in a manner that does not favor the operations of the company. Lastly, a person may make it his responsibility to love family and friends and be loyal in reciprocation of their love and loyalty. The personal code of conduct should not be wavered based on any probable or expected personal benefits (Rodney, 2004).
The personal and/or professional code of ethics has several principles
Commitment to Personal Integrity
The first principle is integrity. This principle states that the provision of professional services should be done with candor and honesty which shouldn’t be subordinated by personal advantage and gain. The clients place the professionals in the positions of trust. The only source of the trust that the clients accord to these professionals is their personal integrity. Innocent errors, same as legitimate variance of opinions can be allowed, but there can’t be the coexistence between integrity and deceit or subordinating the principles of an individual (Braxton & Bray, 2012).
Commitment to Academic Integrity
The second principle is objectivity. This principle demands that the provision of professional services must be done with intellectual impartiality and honesty. The service provider or a professional is supposed to exercise protection of the integrity concerning their work, avoid subordinating their judgment and maintain objectivity.
Maintaining Competence
The third principle is competence. It requires that the people who provide professional services must maintain the skills and knowledge that are needed in the provision of services competently. This principle also requires the providers of professional services must have the wisdom to realize where the utilization of those skills limited and when it is appropriate to consult other professionals or to make referrals to other professionals when it is necessary. The service providers should commit themselves continually to learning and the improvement of their professionalism (Gorlin, 1986).
Commitment to Equal Rights and Fairness
The fourth principle is fairness. It demands that the professionals must be reasonable and fair in all relationships that are professional, and they are required to make all conflicts of interest public.This commitment involves the subordination of the feelings, desires and prejudices of an individual for the purpose of achieving proper balance of the conflicting interests. Fairness entails treating other people the same way as one would want to be treated. Confidentiality is the fifth principle of the professional code of conduct. This principle demands that the leaders must keep the client information confidential and ensure that it is only accessible to the authorized persons. Professionalism, being the sixth principle is concerned with acting in a way that exhibits the best professional conduct (Braxton & Bray, 2012).
Commitment to Academic Excellence
The seventh principle of the professional code of conduct is diligence. It maintains that the professional services must be provided in a manner that is thorough and reasonably prompt, with the inclusion of supervision of and proper planning for the provision of the professional services.
Team Collaboration
As a leader, collaboration with the team will ensure success of the whole team. Team collaboration will be promoted by ensuring that the team supports all those who are involved. This will imply that there is no discrimination and the leader demonstrates the concern for the well-being and interests of the individuals who feel the impact of their actions. Through the promotion of pluralistic values and cultural diversity and adhering to the spirit and the letter of all laws and regulations that are applicable, the leaders can gather the team towards attaining their objective (Frederickson & Ghere, 2005).
Provision of a Challenging Environment
By being aware of all the codes of ethics that are generated by the other professional organizations, the leaders have the avenue to challenge their team to achieve more and set higher goals. The leaders also challenge their team by practicing and embracing the ethical standards and principles and encouraging their colleagues to do so. This may also entail advocating the adherence of the regulations and laws that can be applied within their organizations. The leader is also supposed to act in a manner that will inspire other people through their sense of high purpose and dedication.
Parental and Community Relations
The leader should avail the credit to the team’s public demeanor that will enable fostering the profession. He should also make the affirmation to commitment to his team and the role it plays in the society through personal giving (Rodney, Storch & Starzomski, 2004).
Peer Relationships
The leader should ensure that the members of his team don’t exploit any available relationship with a volunteer, prospect, donor, employee or client that is established for the advantage of the members of the organization. For the purpose of maintaining strong and professional relationships, the members must be made aware of the individual competence boundaries and are truthful and forthcoming about their professional qualifications and experience and will make the representation of their achievements in an accurate manner and avoid exaggerating them.
Commitment to Providing Adequate Resources
The leaders should ensure that all resources that are needed are availed for the benefit of the whole team. These resources are either material or immaterial and may include the funds, machines, information and other major resources that the team needs (Braxton & Bray, 2012).
References
Braxton, J. M., & Bray, N. J. (2012).Codes of conduct in academia. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Frederickson, H. G., & Ghere, R. K. (2005).Ethics in public management. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe.
Gorlin, R. A. (1986). Codes of professional responsibility. Washington, D.C: Bureau of National Affairs.
Matulich, S., & Currie, D. M. (2009).Handbook of frauds, scams, and swindles: Failures of ethics in leadership. Boca Raton, FLA: CRC Press.
Rodney, P. A., Storch, J. L., & Starzomski, R. C. (2004).Toward a moral horizon: Nursing ethics in leadership and practice. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.
