Ethical and Moral Leadership Environments

Introduction

Defining moral leadership is quite simple and varied dependent upon the situation or context requiring leadership. Carrying out moral and ethical leadership is much more complex when carried out in the day to day operations in life. This is particularly poignant when righting a wrong, or redeeming a situation to help in a process of improvement.

Dineen, Lewicki and Tomlinson (2006 p. 430 in Yukl) state a case that it is up to the leadership to lead by example regarding both ethical and moral behaviour. It is also imperative for the leader to set clear goals, standards and objectives and ensure the maintenance throughout the performance of their work (Yukl p. 430 – 431).

One of the issues not addressed due to lack of research is the cultural aspects of leadership in various cultures. I will attempt to address this from my own cultural perspective from the oral history I grew up with.

During this research, two scenarios came up of what an ethical and non-ethical leadership situation looks like. Further research brought me to seek out other situations for comparison. The overall need for leaders to lead well is to pay attention to everything around you.

Discussion

Researchers have developed a variety of definitions regarding leadership and seem simple to visualize but in reality very difficult to carry out in day to day operations of a business, school or life in general. Rost (p.165) expresses the dismay and disgust when scholars, and others who study leadership, see the unethical and immoral (my emphasis) conduct of people in authoritative or power roles. They, the scholars’ et al, want to make ethical conduct a moral imperative for leaders and leadership. Bennis and Nanus (2003 p. 4) identified 850 def...

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...g Keilburger’s of the world keep us all enlightened, we will be on constant watch to see that the moral and ethical work environment for all global employees are safe and healthy.

Works Cited

Bennis, W & Nanus, B. (2003). (2nd ed.) Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge. New York. Harper Collins Publishers.

Nike website: www.nikebix.com/resonsibility/cr_recognition.html. Corporate Social Responsibility and Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Enron wikipedia: en.wiikipedia.org/wiki/Enron

Rosenbeck, W.E. & Taylor, R.L. (6th ed.) (2006). Contemporary Leadership. Boulder, CO. Westview Press.

Rost, J.C. (1993). Leadership for the 21st Century. Westport CT. Praeger Publishers

Wren, T J. ed. (1995). Leader’s Companion: Insights Through the Ages. New York. The Free Press.

Yukl, G. (7th ed.) (2010). Leadership in Organizations. New Jersey. Prentice Hall.