Leadership and what it entails
Ethics on leadership involves authority on self and others to help the organization uphold values that are important to the set up. Society’s need for common good and peaceful interaction and interrelationships are based on honesty, service to others and moral courage. After all, ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the intent, means, and consequences of moral behaviors.
Moral issues such as; equality, safety, properties, respect, human relationships; to name a few, are social consciences to be considered when it comes to our day-to-day interaction with all creatures here on earth. Even though our behaviors and personality has common relation with our culture from where we have established our early environment, as a person, being human, we have distinctive characteristics that are more unique that has more and higher significance with those of other creatures in the planet. Simply because; we possess the moral sense and we have a conscience to distinguish our actions and decisions based on our judgments between right and wrong.
When we are aware of the limits of our actions to deliberate our thoughts to actualization, we then are conscious of all the consequences of them. And, this is the turning point of ones ability to choose what decision to make based on the ethics that society have imposed. We are also all influenced from three formations in our growing years; that is, by association, through books we read, and in our own self concepts. As we grow with reason, we can know what we can act and cannot, based upon our consciousness of the cultural issues of morality which determine our peer’s trust and respect on us.
Ethics as we all know is just as important as values. Some act on their ethical judgments based on self-defined morals as influenced in their growing years’ environment, and from association with our peers, authority, and self-convictions as well as the values we hold. As a leader, it is important to determine our own moral principles and decide ethical conducts in the light of the meaning that it attaches with our own lives; from our own cultures, education, and purposes in life.
Ethics embrace values and morality as an important factor and full partner in the quest for an outstanding performance, not only in leadership but in a person’s daily actuation. Ethics in work and leadership is important more than anything. The work rules, the codes of conducts in the workplace is the determining factors what the organization strive and live for. Reputation and Success are synonymous without question. Everything that is happening inside the operation of the organization reflects the ethical ideals of the ownerships the members hold within their beliefs and values. And then what is transported to the outside world of their circle that determines reciprocity of public trust and loyalty.
We are not born with values, but we become what we are as influenced from our own cultures and societies where we grow and when become aware of them as children. We adopt what is being promoted to us; and from it, thus our own values are born. The more we understand our values deep within us, the clearer we can be with what we want to do with our lives, how we want to live our lives. We have a good picture of our self identity and we become more confident with our actions and actuation in our day to day existence. When we developed good character traits from the values we hold, we then possess qualities of great leadership.
Leadership requires competence; to be caring, having value-based convictions, and must be committed to certain ideals and goals that achieve the group’s vision and mission. As ethics in leaderships are required; leaders will have to have the instinct of higher ideals, possess values, and strive to be just, to serve all for the common good. Commitment to the basic values such as honesty, responsibility, charity, excellence, and persistence are necessary for building trust. And trust must be attained because it is the bedrock of the organizational survival and its growth over the long term.
People will forgive the leader who fails to manage by objectives or in its inefficiency in the use of time, and sometimes when a leader fails to achieve the smoothest human relations; but, they cannot forgive and it is difficult for anyone in society to forgive the leader who are immoral and unprincipled. This is the reason why leaderships must not only be a visionary, but also know the importance and exercise good judgments of actions and decisions based on the principles of right and wrong. And mostly, embrace the ethics of values and morality as full partners in the quest for its performance. To test their actions and decisions for the good of all that they serve and the society is by asking; is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better relationships, and will It be beneficial to all concerned. Then and only then, can higher ethical climate is obtained. And when it is, profits of the company operations will be better, as it reflects trust to the stakeholders and shareholders; cultivate loyalty to the staffs, employees, and customers.
