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The importance of ethical leadership to an organization
Why ethical leadership is important
The importance of ethical leadership to an organization
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The history of Lieutenant General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller is not well known outside of the U.S. Marine Corps, but as the most decorated marine in history his legend will live on and continue to inspire the marines of tomorrow. The enlisted corps has idolized him, frequently encouraging one another to do that last push up when motivated by fellow marines saying “Do one for Chesty!” The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that Chesty, using current day leadership theories, was a visionary and ethical leader who exemplified the characteristics that our nation’s military needed during World War II and still needs today. I will explain how he embodied some principles of Full Range Leadership Development that are taught today. Then I will describe how he demonstrated his ethical leadership through combat actions when faced with general military ethics situations. Finally, I will examine how my own leadership abilities, though noncombat focused, compare to how Chesty led his marines. Let’s begin by exploring the visionary leadership that Lt Gen Puller exhibited.
Lieutenant General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, through dedication to his mission and the welfare of his marines, was a visionary leader even by today’s standards. In his youth, Chesty attempted to join World War I before he had reached the required age. He attended Virginia Military Institute, but dropped out after one year to satisfy his urge to experience combat. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a private and remained enlisted for only a year before his commissioning as a lieutenant. Unfortunately, the war ended before he was able to experience combat. When a force reduction ensued after the end of the war, Lt Puller was sent to the reserves and given the ...
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...played an excellent model of military ethics. Finally, I showed how my leadership decisions, although not combat related, bear some similarity in vision and ethics to Chesty’s standard, as set seven decades earlier. I can think of no better leader for today’s officers, both commissioned and noncommissioned, to emulate than the most decorated and idolized marine in history.
References
Hoffman, John T., Lt Col. CHESTY. Random House, New York and Toronto (2001).
LM01, Ethical Leadership. (2012). Maxwell Gunter AFB. Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (AETC)
CF02,Full Range Leadership Development. (2012). Maxwell Gunter AFB. Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (AETC)
The Chesty Puller Paragon: Leadership Dogma. Retrieved February 3, 2014 from http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identPrefix=html&identifier=ADA339492
Black Hearts is a great example of the reality on how severe bad leadership skills can ripple throughout a unit and impact its overall mission. This book serves as a guide for future leaders of America and will set the examples of what not to do in leadership positions. The lessons we can take from these soldiers can help us as potential leaders to become more competent and effective. The fact that this book focused on the hardships, poor decisions and sound judgment of the soldiers it helped emphasize on what was not the best choice of action and leaves a moment for you as the audience to think how you would of done it better. So right or wrong there was a lesson to be learned and the book did a good job including the reader. This book puts you in the shoes of a small group of soldiers from the 502nd Infantry Regiment and gives you an up close and personal take on the experience of the soldiers, from the bottom of the the ranks all the way up to the commander. 502nd Bravo Company 1st platoon deployed in the fall of 2005 into one of the most dangerous battle zones in Iraq known as the “Triangle of Death”. Thrown into the heartland of a growing insurgency, with undefined goals and a shortage of manpower, Bravo Company began piling up casualties at an alarming rate. They suffered many losses, as well as mental anguish. Because of the long and tragic deployment, a collapse in leadership began to unfold causing one of the most tragic, brutal, and infamous deployments in U.S Army history. There were many reasons that caused the deconstruction of leadership, and eventually, the actions of the soldiers accompanied by the lack of control, lead to the rape and murder of an innocent Iraqi girl and her family. This is a story about character...
The United States Army, in its current state, is a profession of arms. In order to be considered a profession, the organization must have an ethical code rooted in values, strong trust with its clients, and be comprised of experts within the trade. These experts are constantly developing the trade for the present and the future and hold the same shared view of their trade culture. The Army currently has an ethical code embodied in the Army Values, which provides guidance to the individual and the organization. These values are universal across the Army, regardless of an individual’s personal background or religious morals.
Omar Bradley had to struggle before he became a General, and he had to go through all the ranks. “Bradley’s first Rank he started with is 2nd Lt., after he graduated west point he was automatically promoted. His next rank was 1st Lt., which he achieved 17 months after his graduation from West Point. Then WWI came up and he was promoted to Capt. Because of the shortage of offic...
Exemplary performance has always attracted accolades and numerous prices; this gives morale and vigor for everyone to achieve their best. In the disciplined forces, particularly the marine, the service members always receive a major reward that elevates them in rank; this is the medal. This rewards them for their bravery and contribution in the missions they are involved in. Indeed, they contribute a lot to the peace and security of the world at large and they truly deserve these medals for recognition (Tucker, 2011). This has been a practice for the U.S. Marine to issue Corps medals since the Civil War to present day. Among the Corps Medal categories include American Defense Medal-WWII, Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal among others. Since the Civil War there have been over 120 U.S. Marine Corps Medals. This paper identifies Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller and describes why he has been one of the most decorated marines in the history of the U.S.
Dwight David Eisenhower (1955), the 34th President of the United States, gave an explicit definition of leadership, “The job of getting people really wanting to do something is the essence of leadership….” The Army, like any other civilian organization, defines different levels of leadership depending on a size of a unit a leader is in command of. Tactical and organizational leaderships are two first interconnected levels of leadership in the Army. Both levels of leadership have many commonalities regarding duties and responsibilities; yet they are very different in the way the leaders develop themselves, train, and take care of their soldiers.
...2006, December 06). Military ethics. Some lessonslearned from Manuel Davenport. Retrieved on April 17, 2011 from http://www.airpower.au.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj06/win06/ficarrotta.html. Air& space Power Journal.
As a 15-year-old sophomore who had no sense of direction in reference to what he would do with his life other than going to college, I had absolutely no idea where I would go when I built interest and eventually enrolled into my school’s Army JROTC program or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. Now, a 16-year-old junior still enrolled at his school’s JROTC program had accomplished so much over the course of one school year, including the invitation of speaking at the Youth Assembly of the United Nations, resulting from the leadership characteristics that I had learned as a result of joining the JROTC program. If there is one thing that I had enjoyed learning from being in the JROTC program, it is learning the capabilities and meanings of being a true leader. When I had entered my first semester as a JROTC cadet, I was asked “What do you plan to do while you are here in ROTC?”, I stated in a brief response that I plan to learn how to be a leader so that when I enter the medical field along with entering the military, I can lead my fellow doctors and nurses into giving back to America’s sons and daughters who give and sacrifice so much to preserve our country’s values and true meanings of freedom.
As an ethical leader, this paper will discuss how Jimmy Doolittle’s promoted from lieutenant colonel to brigadier general overnight, found himself in command of an entire Numbered Air Force (NAF). Placed in unfamiliar territory, he displayed intellectual humility by relying heavily on the advice of his staff to educate him in his new command. Furthermore, as the 8th Air Force commander in Europe, he faced a severe shortage in experienced air crews as the operations tempo increased during the build up to D-Day. He faces an ethical dilemma to either follow a direct order from General Hap Arnold or maintain the trust and faith of his men. I used my personal experience to demonstrate how my skills compared to those that Jimmy Doolittle exhibited as a visionary and ethical leader, helping me become a better leader. I will explain that I’ve fallen short of his conceptual team dimension style and how that skill would have helped me solve an Armory inventory issue by finding alternatives for funding. Finally, I’ll show how I demonstrated intellectual humility when my commander made me the Superintendent of Logistics and Readiness, although having no prior experience or knowledge of those sections. Let’s start by rewinding the clock 89 years to the pioneering
As our forefathers before us stated, ‘‘No one is more professional than I. I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as “The Backbone of the Army (“The NCO Creed writing by SFC Earle Brigham and Jimmie Jakes Sr”). These words to Noncommissioned Officer should inspire us to the fullest with pride, honor, and integrity. The NCO creed should mean much more than just words whenever we attend a NCO’s school. For most of us this is what our creed has become because we learn to narrate or recite. The military from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard has an overabundance of NCOs who fall under their pay grade of E-5, E-6 and etc. Yet somehow there still not enough leaders. I believe that the largest problem afflicting the military today is our lack of competent leaders, ineffective leader development, and how we influence our subordinates under us who are becoming leaders.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2017). EL05, Ethical leadership. Maxwell- Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Serving in the Army for the past fifteen years, as a Soldier, Non-Commissioned Officer, Cadet, and Commissioned Officer, I have gained a wealth of military leadership knowledge and experience. Since completing my undergraduate studies and earning my commission in the Army, I have held a variety of command and staff positions. I have led Soldiers in garrison, as well as on combat and operational deployments, each having its own unique challenges and rewards. Throughout the years, I have had the distinct honor and privilege of serving on many great teams and with many outstanding Leaders.
While an individual can question the notion of obedience in daily life, this luxury is often not available in the military where the grand goals and aims require smooth internal functioning and hierarchical coordination.Not following orders is not an optional choice that recruits can’t make upon joining the Marine Corps. The act of disobedience is considered to be an infractions and a person who placed himself in such a situation can find himse...
Martin L. Cook. The Moral Warrior – Ethics and Service in the U.S. Military (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004) 21.
This paper explores the character development of Army professionals. It starts by exploring the thoughts of General George Washington and his thoughts on character within the military. General George Washington believed Character was essential to the success of the military. It continues on by explaining why character is important to Army professionals. Character enables trust to grow within the military strengthening the Army as a whole. The paper then moves on to explore traits that make up an individual’s character. Those traits relate to the military in the form of the Army Values. Living up the Army Values is a baseline for developing good character traits and habits. If you’re not following the Army Values then your exhibiting poor character traits and going against the core values essential to military service. Lastly this paper explores character development within the three levels of Army leadership. This section highlights the role of character development within the strategic, organizational, and direct leadership levels.
Before I received the title of veteran I had to earn my place in the military. To do that I had to go to Navy Boot Camp where they taught me the foundation and fundamentals I needed to transform from an immature nineteen-year-old to a United States Navy Sailor. It is at RTC (Recruit Training Command) Great Lakes that this transformation began with The Navy’s Core Values of honor, courage, and commitment. These three principles play a huge role in interpreting, abiding by, and enforcing the military’s policies on speech and ethical