Ethical Leadership: The Learning Approach

Do you want to be an ethical leader? First, relax. Being ethical shouldn’t require moral self-righteousness, rigid standards, covering up that we aren’t perfect, or even always following the rules.

Bureaucrats follow rules, but ignore the spirit behind the rules. Ethical people try to find the best thing to do, given the limits of their perspective. We don’t know the long-term ramifications of each ethical act, but we try our best to take the long view.

Why bother? Because the ethical person has an inner pride and confidence that strengthens when others weaken. Ethics direct us to safety rather than accidents, caring rather than litigation, fairness rather than power trips, and unity rather than insidious conflict. Ethics and values keep us centered and allow us to lead by example.

Why do so many of us choose unethical paths? Because we use rationalizations such as:

• “Everybody does it.”
• “The boss does it.”
• “They’ll never miss it.”
• “Nobody will care.”
• “It’s not my job.”
• “I don’t have the time to keep my promise nor do it right.”

A great way leaders breed respect for ethics and values is by advocating a learning environment. The learner is humble, not a know-it-all, and shows respect for others’ interests. The learner is committed to open exploration, feedback, and continuous improvement.

Regarding ethics, the leader can critique behavior of the past and reflect on how to choose better options. The learner pursues wisdom over popularity. The learning organization tries to systematize through carefully formed processes.

To embolden employees, good leaders demonstrate, teach, and reward practices such as:

• Keeping promises, and a tendency to under-promise and over-deliver.
• Providing structure, training, check-ins, and support to make doing the right thing easier.
• Soliciting feedback and reinforcing those who tell the truth.
• Building a strong organizational culture where each person feels accountable for doing what is best.

One more suggestion: write down your values and refer to them frequently.