In recent years, a competitive global environment, the inability of some organizations to maintain a competitive advantage, and other pressure factors have forced many organizations and their leaders to follow unethical practices in an attempt to maintain success. Can organizations survive in this highly complex / competitive era without resorting to unethical practices, and how? This article provides readers with an understanding of the need for the role of ethics in contemporary organizations. It addresses the importance of leadership in establishing and maintaining ethical principles in the organization and culminates with a set of recommendations that leaders can subscribe to to ensure that organizations remain ethical.
What is ethics?
Ethics is defined as the ability to distinguish between good and evil and act accordingly. According to Rand, a 20th century Russian / American novelist, it is a code of values that guides our choices and actions and determines the purpose and course of our lives. “It revolves around others and therefore … can be understood quite easily when analyzed from the perspective of Matthew 7:12” do to others what you would like them to do to you. “
Old problem, new people: Judas selling Jesus for 30 pieces of silver
In contemporary organizations we see many leaders and followers whose behaviors closely resemble those of Judas (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13, 18, Acts 1:18). There are Organizations that deliberately violate the ethical standards necessary for the successful operation of any society. Hoyk and Hersey postulate that within a year Enron, Adelphia, Tyco International, as well as the conviction of the WorldCom CEO by a federal court represent only a small segment of organizations and individuals involved in unethical practices in organizations. An examination of the recent elections in Zimbabwe highlights the height of unethical practices that exist even at the head of the organizations that govern a country; which has led the world government according to Lauren to denounce it as a pure sham … The urge to succeed at any cost, greed and selfishness are just some of the causes of unethical practices; These practices condemn the poor to become even poorer, while the rich become richer. It should be noted that unethical practices undermine not only the trust of stakeholders, but also the general population and create an unhealthy organization and society that is not subject to rules and regulations; the end result is lawlessness and gigantic proportions of mistrust in society, which will ultimately shorten the lifespan of the organization.
The call to action: inspire action
The creation of an ethical organizational culture resides in leaders and followers; Leadership by nature requires that leaders be the first to establish an ethical organizational culture. We recognize the mammoth task leaders face in a fast-paced society with rockets of change even as they struggle to maintain a competitive advantage. However, as the demise of many organizations becomes a reality due to unethical practices, the onus falls on contemporary leaders to create and maintain ethical organizational cultures even as they compete for survival, because it is the ethical / social stance to adopt. The issue of ethics is a solemn issue in leadership; its non-existence can create a vacuum in the organization, creating a climatic condition in which any action is acceptable. It is important for leaders to create an ethical environment in doing this; decision-making will be based on ethical standards that ultimately yield an ethical result. For such an environment to be created, ethics must be the foundation of the organization’s vision, composition, and mission. With such a proposal, leaders are forced to indulge in a discourse of collective ethical codes. This code enables leaders to act morally and nurture an organization that revels in the laws of law.
The role of an ethical leader is to foster an organization that enables all stakeholders to act responsibly, be aware of their environment and those around them. Johnson posits that leaders have a duty to achieve ethical standards through the use of organizational aspirations that must be effective, efficient and excellent. Therefore, the onus falls on the leaders to captain the ship, take charge, and be in charge. The premise is that ethical leadership and ethical principles start at the top of the organization and then spread everywhere. Leaders should not assume that employees intuitively know and will abide by the ethical principles established by the organization. It is the leader’s responsibility to ensure that ethical practices are modeled and orally communicated … employee training on ethical issues should be mandatory. Leaders can foster an ethical environment by employing what I call critical factors:
Critical factor one: vision
A clear and concise vision that incorporates ethical principles lays the foundation for all stakeholders to realize exactly what the organization stands for …
Critical factor two: open communication
A channel of communication in which leaders and followers feel comfortable discussing or examining behaviors or problems that may “be in question.” This promotes trust and confidence in the organization’s efforts.
Critical factor three: ethical team
Create a team that seeks unethical actions: This team is responsible for identifying and addressing ethical issues facing the organization. They create an environment in which difficult ethical issues can be discussed and corrective measures can be implemented. This should allow stakeholders to have confidence in promoting organizational values.
Conclution
In light of the recent discovery of unethical practices in many organizations, contemporary organizations now face a serious problem. Now we are faced with the challenge of how to combat the epidemic of unethical behavior in our organizations. The role of ethics in the 21st century is comprehensive in the sense that all organizations need a firm foundation on which to stand and a foundation rooted in an ethical framework, which when tested can survive. It is the responsibility of leadership to consider ethics as part of the dynamics of their organization. It is this move that will allow the organization to differentiate itself from its predecessors that sank in times of unethical fighting. The price we pay for bad ethics has eroded the very fabric of our society, as well as our organizational culture, producing mistrust and chaos. It becomes imperative that leaders promote an organizational culture that values / encourages ethics. Commitment to ethics is the defining factor that will create a successful and long-lasting organization.
References:
Ciulla, JB (2004), Ethics the Heart of Leadership 2nd Edition, Praeger Publishers. West Port, CT.