The problem to be investigated is empirical data that suggested when a leader’s action is observed to be ethical; leaders are inclined to be more ethical. In essence, positive-reinforcement of any type of behavior will drive the continuation of that behavior whether it is good or bad, especially when it comes to leadership. Caldwell and Clapham (2003) wrote that trustworthiness is the keystone in the development of trust. My hypothesis is that the empirical data is correct and that leadership’s behavior (good or bad) can affect an organization especially when the behavior is positively reinforced. This paper examined various topics covered in Caldwell, Hayes, and Long’s (2010) article on Leadership, Trustworthiness, and Ethical Stewardship.
Leadership was the first topic, which was covered in Caldwell, Hayes, and Long’s (2010) article. A relationship with customers and leadership is paramount. Customers have unwritten requirements called expectations, which need to be met by the leadership of a business. It is up to the leadership of a business to ensure that when satisfying these unwritten requirements, that they are fulfilled in a clear and ethical way. Caldwell, Hayes, and Long (2010) found that within the model of leadership three major subsets exist. The three subsets found were relationship building, resource optimizations, and image consulting.
Relationship building was described as using emotional intelligence in conjunction with holding leadership & employees accountable & responsible for having ethics as a core tenet. Caldwell et al. (2010) cited Maslyn and Uhl-Bin’s (2001) article on Leader-Member Exchange and Its Dimensions: Effects of Self-Effort and Other’s Effort on Relationship Quality which found that...
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...l of Business Ethics, 97(4), 543-561. doi:10.1007/s10551-010-0524-z
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It's difficult not to be cynical about how “big business” treats the subject of ethics in today's world. In many corporations, where the only important value is the bottom line, most executives merely give lip service to living and operating their corporations ethically.
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Specifically, six themes regarding ethical leadership emerged from the study. Survey respondents from all societies prioritized these six traits as necessary for ethical leadership. First, ethical leaders are accountable. They abide by rules and regulations and take personal responsibility while holding others accountable. Second, ethical leaders have consideration and respect for others. They are approachable, treat others with respect, and demonstrate empathy. Third, ethical leaders are fair. They make objective decisions and do not show favoritism. Fourth, ethical leaders have a strong character. They are sincere and they lead by example, demonstrating integrity and courage. Fifth, ethical leaders have a collective orientation. They promote teamwork and collaboration while protecting the interests of the company. Finally, ethical leaders are open and flexible. They share information, communicate effectively, and are open to diversity (Resick et al, 2011). Though cultural dimensions affect leadership practices and expectations, these attributes and behaviors emerged consistently as the requisite traits for ethical
Trevino, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2011). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. New York: John Wiley.
The topic of interest in the field of organizational behavior that represents a workplace challenge in the United States is improving ethical behavior. Improving ethical behavior encompasses other aspects of Organizational Behavior, including cognitive dissonance, workplace deviance and conflict resolution. Leadership is key to developing moral standards as well as implementing, monitoring and taking action against any unethical behavior. Group dynamics play an important part in ethical behavior as groups are made up of people from all walks of life that have different values and also have different motivations for working. It all comes down to being a great leader. Ethical Behavior is important because it can lead to better organizational
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Trevino, L., & Nelson, K. (2011). Managing business ethics - straight talk about how to
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Jessica Waggoner (2010) stated in her thesis, there are three requirements of leaders allowing them to capitalize on their ability to influence ethical conduct. These three requirements are “achieve an understanding of ethics; serve as a role model in making ethical decisions; and develop and implement a plan of action for promoting ethical conduct on the part of his or her staff” (Waggoner, 2010). This paper attempts to define ethics and leadership and how they combine to create ethical leadership. It will explore the traits of an ethical and unethical leader as well as what influences or contributes to unethical behavior. It also discusses how employees, leadership, and the environment can lead to or contribute to unethical behavior.
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