Character & Ethics in
Leadership
By Chris Boleman
Abraham Lincoln once
said, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its
shadow. The shadow is what we think of it and the tree is the real thing.”
How true is that statement? Stop and think about that quote for a minute.
Then ask yourself, how do people view your shadow? If it is not in as
positive light as you would like, then it is probably time to look at the
tree. The tree doesn’t lie. It is the real thing.
Today, we hear and see
the word character everywhere. What exactly does it mean and how does
it relate to leadership?
Character
is the inherent
complex of attributes that determine a person’s moral and ethical actions
and reactions. There are all types of words that provide examples of good
character. These include, but are not limited to such terms as: honesty,
inspiring, courageous, unselfish, competent, tact, loyal, integrity, loyal,
trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.
Warren Bennis (1989)
said that after vision and passion, integrity (character) is the most basic
fundamental competency to be leader. Character, proper ethics, and integrity
are based on the foundation of trust. Do the people you lead trust
you in your leadership role? This is certainly something everyone must ask
themselves as leaders. If the answer is no or not completely, then what can
we do as leaders to develop that trust?
Probably one the most
widely referenced material related to character is from the Josephson
Institute (1996). The approach this group uses is based on six pillars of
character. These are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness,
caring, and A further definition of each is below.
Trustworthiness:
be honest, be reliable, have the courage to do the right thing, build a good
reputation, and be loyal.
Respect:
treat others with respect, follow the Golden Rule, be tolerant of
differences, Use good manners, be considerate of the feelings of others, Do
not threaten, and deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.
Responsibility:
do what you are supposed to do, always do your best, use self-control, be
self-disciplined, think before you act, and be accountable for your
Fairness:
play by the rules, take turns and share, be open-minded; listen to others,
do not take advantage of others, and do not blame others carelessly.
Caring:
be kind, be compassionate and show you care, express gratitude, forgive
others and help people in need
Citizenship:
do your share to make your community better, cooperate, get involved in
community affairs, stay informed, be a good neighbor, obey laws and respect
authority.
Some adults may look
at these and say that these characteristics of the six pillars seem
elementary and to some extent, they are probably right. Character and
integrity is the basis of our values. Values are learned and practiced from
a young age. So, as you read through these, they may seem like they are
written for youth. Should that really matter? There are still some very
important points that each of us as leaders should evaluate and think
through in terms to how we look at ourselves.
After you read these
six pillars of character and the examples that help define them, can you say
you say that you adhere to all of them? You probably can not. The majority
of us probably could not, but the key is to work on them and at least think
about them when you are making decisions as a leader. There is an old saying
that says, “You can not teach an old dog new tricks.” However, it has
nothing to do with humans!! We can learn new tricks and we can build our
character traits as human beings and leaders.
Another item you can
use to see if you are making ethical decisions or decisions with good
character is the “Four Way Test” described by Lussier and Achua (2001). It
says to ask yourself four simple questions. They are:
• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all
concerned?
• Will it build good
will?
• Will it be
beneficial to all concerned?
If you can answer
YES to each of these questions, then your decision as a leader is most
likely both ethical.
We are living in an
age of accountability. We are also living in a time where we turn the
television on and see some so called role model making poor or bad choices.
This is the time for each of us to standup and set a good example as leaders
in our community. If we set the appropriate example, then others will build
that needed trust in us and we can continue to lead effectively. Take your
leadership role seriously and always remember that your character goes along
way to describing who you are. You never know when or where someone may be
watching!!!
References
Bennis, W. (1989). On
becoming a leader. Wilmington, MA:
Trump Mediaeval by C&C
Associates.
Josephson Institute of
Ethics (1996). Michael S. Josephson.
Lussier, R. N. and Achua,
C. F. (2001). Leadership: Theory, Application,
Skill
Development.
Cincinnati, OH:
South-Western College Publishing.
Leadership: Character & Traits
By Donald Clark
"Managers are people who do things right. Leaders are people who do the
right thing."
-Warren
Bennis
Building Excellence
Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence.
Excellence is "being all you can be" within the bounds of doing what is
right for your organization. To reach excellence you must first be a
leader of good character. You must do everything you are supposed to do.
An organizations will not achieve excellence by figuring out where it
wants to go, then having leaders do whatever they have to in order to
get the job done, and then hope their leaders acted with good character.
This type of thinking is backwards. Pursuing excellence should not be
confused with accomplishing a job or task. When you do planning, you do
it by backwards planning. But you do not achieve excellence by backwards
planning. Excellence starts with leaders of good and strong character
who engage in the entire process of leadership. And the first process is
being a person of honorable character.
"Waste no time arguing what a good man should be. Be one."
- Marcus Aurelius
Character develops over time. Many think that much of a person's
character is formed early in life. However, we do not know exactly how
much or how early character develops. But, it is safe to claim that
character does not change quickly. A person's observable behavior is an
indication of her character. This behavior can be strong or weak, good
or bad. A person with strong character shows drive, energy,
determination, self-discipline, willpower, and nerve. She sees what she
wants and goes after it. She attracts followers. On the other hand, a
person with weak character shows none of these traits. She does not know
what she wants. Her traits are disorganized, she vacillates and is
inconsistent. She will attract no followers.
A strong person can be good or bad. A gang
leader is an example of a strong person with a bad character, while an
outstanding community leader is one with both strong and good
characteristics. An organization needs leaders with both strong and good
characteristics, people who will guide them to the future and show that
they can be trusted.
"Courage - not complacency - is our need today. Leadership not
salesmanship."
- John F. Kennedy
To be an effective leader, your followers must have trust in
you and they need to be sold on your vision. Korn-Ferry International,
an executive search company, performed a survey on what organizations
want from their leaders. The respondents said they wanted people who
were both ethical and who convey a
strong vision of the future. In any organization, a leader's
actions set the pace. This behavior wins trust, loyalty, and ensures the
organization's continued vitality. One of the ways to build trust is to
display a good sense of character composed of beliefs, values, skills,
and traits:
Beliefs are what we hold dear to us and are rooted
deeply within us. They could be assumptions or convictions that you hold
true regarding people, concepts, or things. They could be the beliefs
about life, death, religion, what is good, what is bad, what is human
nature, etc.
Values are attitudes about the worth of people,
concepts, or things. For example, you might value a good car, home,
friendship, personal comfort, or relatives. Values are important as they
influence a person's behavior to weigh the importance of alternatives.
For example, you might value friends more than privacy, while others
might be the opposite.
Skills are the knowledge and abilities that a person
gains throughout life. The ability to learn a new skill varies with each
individual. Some skills come almost naturally, while others come only by
complete devotion to study and practice.
Traits are distinguishing qualities or
characteristics of a person, while character is the sum total of these
traits. There are hundreds of personality traits, far too many to be
discussed here. Instead, we will focus on a few that are crucial for a
leader. The more of these you display as a leader, the more your
followers will believe and trust in you.
Traits of a Good Leader
Compiled by the Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group:
Honesty - Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all your
actions. Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust.
Competent - Your actions should be based on reason and
moral principles. Do not make decisions based on childlike emotional
desires or feelings.
Forward-looking Set goals and have a vision of the future. The
vision must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders
envision what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick
priorities stemming from their basic values.
Inspiring - Display confidence in all that you do. By
showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will
inspire others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary.
Intelligent - Read, study, and seek challenging assignments.
Fair-minded - Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice
is the enemy of justice. Display empathy by being sensitive to the
feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others.
Broad-minded - Seek out diversity.
Courageous - Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal,
regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Display a
confident calmness when under stress.
Straightforward - Use sound judgment to make a good decisions at
the right time.
Imaginative - Make timely and appropriate changes in your
thinking, plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and
better goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative!
Attributes
Attributes establish what leaders are, and every leader needs at
least three of them:
Standard Bearers
establish the ethical framework within an organization. This
demands a commitment to live and defend the climate and culture that you
want to permeate your organization. What you set as an example will soon
become the rule as unlike knowledge, ethical behavior is learned more by
observing that by listening. And in fast moving situations, examples
become certainty. Being a standard bearer creates trust and openness in
your employees, who in turn, fulfill your visions.
Developers
help others learn through teaching, training, and coaching. This
creates an exciting place to work and learn. Never miss an opportunity
to teach or learn something new yourself. Coaching suggests someone who
cares enough to get involved by encouraging and developing others who
are less experienced. Employees who work for developers know that they
can take risks, learn by making mistakes, and winning in the end.
Integrators
orchestrate the many activities that take place
throughout an organization by providing a view of the future and the
ability to obtain it. Success can only be achieved when there is a unity
of effort. Integrators have a sixth sense about where problems will
occur and make their presence felt during critical times. They know that
their employees do their best when they are left to work within a
vision-based framework.
