Question

30-page research study on Ethical Leadership : The Past, Present and the Future

Answer 1

Ethical leadership is leadership that is directed by respect for ethical beliefs and values and for the dignity and rights of others. It is thus related to concepts such as trust, honesty, consideration, charisma, and fairness.

Importance of Ethical Leadership-

The nurturing aspect of leadership can also raise an organization's culture and employee's values to higher levels of ethical behavior.They, therefore, use their power and authority to serve the greater good instead of self-serving interests –a “win/win” for employees and the organization.

Over the past decade, ethical leadership has increasingly become one of the most popular topics in the areas of leadership and business ethics. As a result, there now exists a substantial body of empirical research addressing ethical leadership issues, but the findings reported by this body of research are highly fragmented.

10 ethical leadership characteristics:

• Justice. An ethical leader is always fair and just.
• Respect others. One of the most important traits of ethical leadership is the respect that is given to followers.
• Honesty.
• Humane.
• Focus on teambuilding.
• Value-driven decision-making.
• Encourages initiative.
• Leadership by example.

Challenges of Ethical Leadership-

Consistency

One challenge of ethical leadership is the ability to consistently adhere to the rules you establish for your business. Following your own ethical standard serves as an inspiration to your employees, indicating that you stand by your core values.

Policies

Ethics can be complex. To ensure clarity, you need to write clear policies in the form of mission statements, rules, regulations and practices. From the moment they're hired, employees need written copies of the above policies.

Atmosphere

Workplace culture and environment can also be a challenge to ethical leadership. In oppressive environments, employees who may notice serious ethical problems may be afraid to speak out for fear of being ostracized