"ETHICAL EDGE: Virtues Driven Leadership"
By Russell T. Williams, PASSKEYS, Inspiring Ethical Excellence (www.passkeys.org)
Years ago in a Peanuts comic strip, Lucy turned to Charlie Brown and asked, "So, Charlie, do you have any good rules for living?" Charlie replied, "Why of course, Lucy. Get your first serve in; dental floss daily; keep the ball low." A perplexed Lucy responded, "But Charlie, will that get me a better life?"
Lucy's question is a universal one applied to each of us, personally and professionally. What guidelines do we know produce a better life.at home, in our communities and at work? And at work the question of what rules shall we live by defines the whole world of ethical conduct.
Multiple Leadership Hats
Business executives do wear multiple leadership hats. Executive thinking must measure success beyond the economic bottom line symbolized in this essay as wearing the white Sunday Stetson. Clearly, significant executive leadership might be symbolically defined by those who wear the sweaty baseball cap that gets a workout in tough, under-the-microscope situations that shape the way an organization defines the rules of engagement to handle tough ethical issues. Executives who get comfortable wearing this cap grow to become virtues driven leaders.
In their working paper entitled, Moral Person and Moral Manager, Developing A Reputation For Ethical Leadership, co-authors Linda Trevino, Laura Hartman and Michael Brown describe ethical leaders: "These executives are committed to acting in an ethical and transparent manner, not only are they morally responsible for their actions, they are perceived that way throughout the organization."
Such individuals take serious the work of how do we do the right thing, regardless of how complex that question becomes. Their visibility as executives is measured by how they purposefully and persistently model the organization's commitment to its values. For these executives, organizational governance and compliance mandates do not define an ethical culture. Rather, congruent, authentic, meaningful personal behavior communicates an ethical culture.
The nation again witnessed a glaring absence of such leadership in mid-November when the Big 3 Automaker executives made their infamous appearance on Capitol Hill. While pleading for a bail out, these leaders showed up in their white Stetson corporate jets, sat down at Congressional Hearings without a thoughtful game plan for The Ask and offered no accountability for the outcome of a loan. Why was there such negative public feedback? Why was there such a disconnect? Why did these Captains of Industry get sent home to re-group and try again? Duh! It is simple! They did not present themselves as ethical leaders wearing sweaty baseball caps struggling to do the right thing with touch circumstances. Rather, they showed up with their Sunday Stetson swagger, while pleading poverty and declaring they deserved to be helped.
Be assured that this word picture is not meant to bash good men's business acumen under the glare of a national spotlight. The reality is they thought they were representing their companies in an appropriate manner. But, the fact is they performed miserably. They showcased their leadership blind spot.their lack of ethical insight, awareness, savvy to know how to address a complex issue with virtues driven thinking. Their glaring failure was but another reminder to the American public that this problem is a major tributary feeding the sourcing currents of torrential economic bad news continuing to engulf our nation and world.
Four Roles of the Professional Executive as the Voice of Virtues Driven Leadership
The bad news story calls for fresh voices of virtues driven leadership. Cathleen Sullivan, president and ethics coach for RedHawk, a New Jersey based firm helping companies implement ethics programs, wrote an online AMA article entitled, Creating An Ethical Culture. She defined four roles the professional executive accomplishes as the voice of virtues driven leadership.
- COMMUNICATES CORE VALUES: The first step in creating a culture of ethics is to communicate your core values. Three of the most universal values to embrace and apply are: Integrity: being totally honest in everything we do or say; Accountability: taking personal responsibility for our actions. Trust: the foundation of positive relationships within and outside the company.
- BECOMES A MODEL ETHICAL DECISION-MAKER: If you want people to know how serious you are about ethical conduct, adopt the old adage, "Show, don't tell." Executives and leaders must talk publicly about ethics and explain how the business decision-making process reflects the company's values and code of conduct. When faced with an ethical dilemma, consider these four questions as a model for analysis:
What feels wrong about this situation? This is the first step in clarifying the underlying issue.
Is this situation against company policy or law? If so, the issue can be quickly resolved, since no good decision will ever violate these.
How will our stakeholders be affected? This question helps to evaluate how our actions will affect others including employees, investors, business partners and the public.
How will I be affected? As an executive your actions will impact many others in addition to yourself, but this question helps to evaluate the personal impact of your decision.
Johnson & Johnson became a textbook case of the effectiveness of this transparent, open, ethical decision-making with its handling of the Tylenol scare in the 1980's. The company took responsibility for the issue and immediately recalled the drug. By putting public health ahead of its own proof of innocence, the company persevered and ultimately enhanced its reputation. - ADOPTS ETHICAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: This approach to ethical decisions must be adopted and applied all the way down the chain of command. Every manager should model the decision-making process outlined above. Every manager should be familiar with policies and a company's code of conduct, in order to apply it consistently across the board.
- MAKES ETHICS A CORPORATE-WIDE INITIATIVE: Good managers listen to employee. They know there is no substitute for a grass-roots connection to ideas and issues. Be sure managers at all levels truly have an open door and encourage employees to use it. In order to build confidence in employees and to quell cynicism, your company must have a process for employees and others enabling them to raise concerns to management.
In conclusion Sullivan states, "Good leadership is more than stirring speeches or inspirational statements printed at the front of your company's code of conduct. Your employees may listen to what you say, but they will remember what you do. Ethical attitudes can't be glued on the fabric of your organization... they have to be woven in. Your example and leadership will help to permeate your corporate culture with good ethical values."
In Summary:
White Stetsons? Keep them in the closet until it's party time. Sweaty baseball caps? Everybody knows they are prized possessions from the playing field.
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