ntroduction
Ethics refer to the moral principles that govern behavior. This is over and above as well as sometimes contrary to laws, rules and regulations. There are two major bases for ethics. The first is the moral basis premised in a belief on what is right and wrong while the second is professional ethics based on an individual’s professional affiliation (Lincoln & Holmes, 2011). Ethical leadership relates to issues such as being honest and dignified as well as considerate and fair to all. A normal leader will only limit actions to applicable roles, rules and regulations but an exemplary leader will adhere to an ethical code of conduct in every leadership decision being made (Lincoln & Holmes, 2011; Sendjaya et al., 2016). Ethical decisions may not always be seemed to be the right decisions and in some instances may lead to adverse consequences for the leader but are however always the right thing to do.
How to find courage
One of the complexities of ethical leadership is how to find the courage necessary to make an ethical decision in spite of the knowledge that the decision will elicit negative consequences (Sendjaya et al., 2016). The first source of courage is the understanding that the buck stops with the leaders. A leader must make a decision so not making the decision or remaining indecisive is not a viable option. This should be the first source of courage. The second source of courage is gathering as much information about the consequences of the decision as possible, more so with relation with the outcome of an unethical decision (Lincoln & Holmes, 2011).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Ordinarily, an unethical decision will always harm someone actively or passively (Walumbwa, Hartnell & Misati, 2017). If a manager assumes the position of the harmed, this will enhance courage to make the ethical decision. Facing a problem also becomes easier if the problem is better understood with the fear of the known being easier to handle than the fear of the unknown. It is important for a leader to understand all the consequences for making an unfavorable ethical decision (Lincoln & Holmes, 2011). Be it, loss of favor, legal suits or termination of employment a leader should seek to understand the consequences beforehand. Finally, courage to make the ethical decision will come with the understanding that any adverse consequences are part of the privileges of leadership (Sendjaya et al, 2016).
Example of Unethical Decision
During the holidays, I volunteered to work in a children’s hospital as a means of community service and also a way of understanding my career of choice better. The hospital was in the process of requisitioning a large supply of medicines and simple equipment from a reputable company. It was however, realized that the company had exaggerated the prices based on the fact that the supplies had been in short supply and the hospital had the opportunity to get the supplies at a much lower price. The hospital superintendent had however informally committed himself to buy the supplies from the aforesaid regular suppliers but no monies had been paid. Further, the price enhancement was not exponential to the point of being criminal or amounting to fraudulent exploitation. The supplier would not sue successfully since no formal agreement had been executed. Instead of seeking to get the better deal which would have benefitted the children at the hospital, the superintendent honored his word, paid the higher price for the goods to avoid negative reputation among medical supply companies.
Retrospective Advice to the Leader
Having now understood the subject of ethical leadership I would have advised the leader that the right decision under the circumstances is the one that favors the children who attend the hospital and the donors. Whereas as a leader he needs to be seen to stick to his word to a supplier the obligation to the children rises higher than personal reputation. The ethical thing to do under the circumstances was therefore either to demand that the supplier matches the new lower pricing or cancel the contract all together. Being seemed to be right and being right are two different things from an ethical perspective and the issue of ethics should always be factored in decision-making (Walumbwa, Hartnell & Misati, 2017). Further as a leader he should have consulted in the consequences of the decision so as to make a more informed decision. For example, how many children will miss out on supplies because of the higher prices that would have gotten supplies if lower pricing would have ensued? Another good point of reflection I would have asked him to make was if the decision was meant to suit him as a leader or the children at the hospital. From the totality of the foregoing I would have advised him to consider altering the decision.
Conclusion and how I Will Prepare to Lead Ethically
It is clear from the above that ethical decisions are the right decisions to make even when they do not seem right. Further, a moral code is fundamental in leadership and every leader should apply one whenever a decision is to be made. As a prospective leader, I will first seek to have an in-depth understanding on the subject of ethics. This includes ethics from a moral perspective and also from a professional perspective. This will enable me to be in the lookout for moral dilemmas as and when they arise. After an understanding of ethic, I will then make a commitment to myself that I will always adhere to ethics in every decision making process. Personal commitments may be easier to break so I will also endeavor to publicly present myself as a leader who makes the ethical decisions. This will prevent the temptation of sacrificing to ethics on the altar of expediency.
References
Lincoln, S. H., & Holmes, E. K. (2011). Ethical decision making: A process influenced by moral intensity. Journal of Healthcare, Science and the Humanities , 1 (1), 55-69.
Sendjaya, S., Pekerti, A., Härtel, C., Hirst, G., & Butarbutar, I. (2016). Are authentic leaders always moral? The role of Machiavellianism in the relationship between authentic leadership and morality. Journal of Business Ethics , 133 (1), 125-139.
Walumbwa, F. O., Hartnell, C. A., & Misati, E. (2017). Does ethical leadership enhance group learning behavior? Examining the mediating influence of group ethical conduct, justice climate, and peer justice. Journal of Business Research , 72 , 14-23.
