Character for Leadership
24
Ethics
Ethics is considered as that which leads to good leadership, leadership that
is both morally and technically effective (Ciulla, 1998). What is generally meant
when discussing ethics is a system of standards against which all intended actions
are
compared, especially those actions that affect other people (Gini, 1998b). Those
intended actions that align with the standard are ethical, while those that deviate
from the standard are unethical. However, what is important to note is that, though
it may coincide with a system that is developed
and agreed upon by some
community, this system is internal to the individual. Therefore, one’s ethics are an
intensely personal matter. In addition, since they are internal, there may be a
discrepancy between the standards of the community
and the standards of the
individual. It is this discrepancy that is addressed by most ethics courses as well as
ethics texts. The ultimate goal is to transfer the standards of the community to the
individual.
In the process of behavior, one’s intended actions are first compared to this
internal system of standards. Assuming that there is congruence with the system,
action may pursue without hindrance. However, if incongruent
or if the system of
ethics is inadequate to the given situation, intentions may be modified in line with
one’s value system. In this instance of incongruence or inadequacy, the individual
must revert to his or her value system to make a determination if the intended
behavior is in line with the prioritized values and intended outcomes.
Unfortunately,
the term
ethical
often has been used in conjunction with the
external consideration of another individual’s ethics. However, it may be better to
consider this external evaluation a different construct altogether—the construct of
morality.
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