Dear Editor,
Chief among the reasons for the many problems we face today in terms of quality service in both the public and private sectors is the issue of ethical leadership. Anecdotes and news reports make it seem as if these ethical lapses are the exclusive preserve of senior executives particularly if these are associated with acts of dishonesty that have destroyed careers and organisations. Lord Acton could not have been more right in 1887 when he wrote to Bishop Creighton that “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Prescient words which are borne out constantly in almost every facet of our human interactions. Many senior functionaries who wield enormous power over others are but men with pretensions to greatness who completely ignore the further caution of Acton that “Great men are almost always bad men.”
If we were to deconstruct the environments that facilitate breaches of ethics and the law we are apt to find that virtual unlimited power is directly linked to the risk of those breaches. Leaders who enjoy this type of power ignore at their peril British Prime Minister William Pitt who in 1770 cautioned that “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.”
Among the other enabling factors which facilitate unethical practices are the reluctance of subordinates to become whistleblowers; access to large sums of cash in a climate of low visibility and minimal accountability; control over organisational perks that are converted for personal benefit; the non-existence of operational checks and balances; minimal supervision from an oversight body; incentives or pressure to reach development targets or benchmarks; and a conceited belief by individuals that they are indispensable to the success of an organization.
Leaders who act with integrity are more likely to be respected and emulated by their subordinates in their behaviours if they are approachable, trustworthy, unpretentious, attentive, judicious in decision-making, and assertive. In performance-driven organisations one sure way to address unethical practices is to send a balanced message about expected results and the acceptable methods by which these results are to be obtained.
We have over time experienced leaders saying what sounds ethically correct but not adopting an ethics driven posture. An ethical leader is ethical all the time, not only when he is in the public spotlight. The ethical leader places the organisation’s well-being and the greater good of the community ahead of his ego and personal interests. He encourages and takes feedback and opinions different from his own even though they may challenge his own ideas and proposed actions.
The ethical leader is manifested in the ways he treats people in everyday interactions, in his attitudes, in the ways he encourages, and in the directions in which he steers the organisation or initiatives. The invisible aspects are reflected in his character, in his decision-making process, in his mindset, in the set of values and principles on which he draws, and in his courage to make ethical decisions in tough situations. The good of the organisation should never be confused with the good of the leader. With a good communication framework it is less likely that rumour, innuendo, suspicion, and resentment will take root.
Finally and perhaps most important, the ethical leader is accountable; accepts responsibility, understands the power of leadership and does not abuse it; builds trust; brings credibility and respect; collaborates; and does not undermine or denigrate others to the possible detriment of the organisation. It should always be borne in mind that the ethical leader will never compromise the philosophy or the vision and mission of the organisation.
Yours faithfully,
Patrick E Mentore
