Lecture 5 slides Flashcards
(13 cards)
What are some examples of morals in leadership?
- You discover misconduct by a colleague. Do you report it, risking
harm to the organization, or stay silent? - After a product failure, do you fully disclose the issue or
downplay it to protect the company’s reputation? - A close friend or family member applies for a job you control. Do
you hire fairly or prioritize the relationship? - Do you reward a high-performing new hire or a loyal long-time
employee who underperformed?
How have moral approaches to leadership changed over time?
Previously: leadership should not be concerned with the issues of ethics and morality
21st century shift: moral leaders are good for society and essential for sustainable organizational success-> inspired many articles in moral leadership
what are the 3 major approaches to normative ethics?
- deontology- the study of duty-> ethical leadership
- consequentialism- rightness of actions is determined by outcomes -> servant leadership
- virtue ethics- living a live that reflects virtuous qualities-> authentic leadership
Ethical leadership
The demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making. What is right or wrong depends on how behaviour is aligned with established rules and norms, so it focusses on compliance and alignment with standards and normative expectations. It was developed qualitatively to prevent scandals and lawsuits. It is a subjective process
What are the specific behaviours demonstrated by ethical leaders?
- Ethical leaders are fair and honest with their team and show the right behavior by example
- Reward ethical actions, and hold others accountable for misbehavior.
- Ethical leadership means being a role model, treating others fairly, being accountable, and promoting good
behavior at work
Servant leadership
Making sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. It is about caring for others and leading with a focus on helping people. It goes beyond just employees or the company but also customers, and communities. It supports work-life balance, meaningful work and a positive values-based workplace.
What is a consequentialist focus of servant leadership?
An action is moral if it helps make the world better. We judge actions by their outcomes, not by rules or personal gain. What matters most is the result—doing what creates the most good or happiness for the most people
(this is called utilitarianism).
Even actions we usually see as wrong, like lying or stealing, might be seen as okay if they lead to a better outcome for many people
Authentic leadership
This is authentic and transparent expression, and action in concordance with beliefs. An authentic leader makes decisions independent of external expectations but rather based on their own moral compass. It is about being true to yourself, leading with honesty and values and building trust by staying consistent and transparent.
What is the virtue focus?
Morality, in this sense, is about the character of the leader, not just following rules or focusing on outcomes. It asks, “What kind of person should I be?” instead of
“What rule should I follow?” or “What will give the best result?” Authentic leaders focus on developing good character (or virtues like honesty, kindness, compassion, courage, patience) and making decisions that align with their core values
What are issues with moral approaches to leadership?
Conceptually different but empirically treated similarly. Involves: common outcomes, common theory, not aimed at identifying unique mechanisms. Measures overlap to a large extent for ethical behaviour. Differences are: more rewards and punishments in EL, more self-awareness and personal growth in AL, and more attention for valued outcomes for multiple stakeholders in SL. If all 3 approaches predict similar outcomes through similar mediators, to what degree at the constructs needed? They also rely on the same theoretical models
Method of Liao, Lee and Johnson?
- Two daily diary studies with working
managers (Mturk & MBA program) over several days - Measured daily servant leadership,
psychological depletion, and laissez-faire leadership (i.e., passive, disengaged behavior) - Also measured perspective taking as a moderator
Results of Liao, Lee and Johnson?
Whether servant leadership behavior is
depleting depends on leaders’ perspective taking. If perspective taking is low (dotted line): servant leadership behaviors were
associated with more same-day depletion and more next-day laissez-faire behavior. If perspective taking is high (continuous line): servant leadership behaviors were
associated with less same-day depletion and less next-day laissez-faire behavior. Servant leadership depletes or replenishes depending on the perspective-taking of the leader
What are the implications of this?
Servant leadership is good for organizations but the impact may be weaker is the leader is low on perspective-taking. The study indicates that if certain effective leader behaviours require effort, this may come at a personal and organizational cost
