Employees Appreciate Ethical Leaders
What did Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King all have in common? They were ethical leaders: they treated others in a just, caring and respectful way. What’s more, they also tried to ensure their followers did so too.
In business, ethical leaders tend to have a positive impact on their staff. Studies show that employees who consider their leaders to be ethical are more satisfied with their jobs and tend to perform better. One possible explanation is that ethical leadership enhances employees’ sense that their work is meaningful and “good.”
What’s more, employees with ethical leaders are far less likely to engage in unethical behavior like discrimination, and this further adds to the positive work environment. But why is the leader so important here?
It could come down to the fundamental human norm of reciprocity: when employees are treated well by their leaders, they reciprocate by treating others well too.
Another potential explanation is that employees see their ethical leaders as role models whose good behavior they wish to emulate.
Whatever the reason, it’s important for you to work on improving your ethical leadership. One way to do this is to include ethical considerations in business discussions and then act on them.
For example, you may find yourself with an opportunity to conduct business in a way that is not technically illegal, but raises ethical concerns, like selling military technology to a manufacturer which counts brutal regimes among its best customers. An ethical leader would refuse.
You must also clarify your own values for yourself and keep them in mind constantly. If you’re facing a difficult decision, ask yourself if you would be comfortable with the consequences of your decision being published on the front page of the New York Times. If not, then it’s probably not in line with your values, and you should reconsider.
The value of ethical leadership is likely to grow further in the future, as consumers become better informed and increasingly critical.
