Influence of the Leadership - Essay Example

In this essay, I am going to argue the manner in which leadership has an influence on the style of working and determines whether the organization conducts its business in an ethical or unethical manner. Indeed as I demonstrate in section one by drawing from Bolden & Gosling, (2006) the manner in leadership needs to undergo changes to remain ethical and to be able to achieve the goals in the most ethical manner. This is indeed true that the leadership style influences employees and others and help to develop the required process through which decisions are taken as stated by Browning, (2007) in section two. This has been followed by an argument from Garbiel (1997) which discusses the manner people need to communicate with the leader and act so that the goals which have been determined can be achieved in the most beneficial manner. To conclude I provide complete description in the manner the leadership style influences decision making and will thereby provide the required directives which will help to remain ethical. Browning (2007) has clearly highlighted that leadership is an important aspect for business as it determines the manner in which decisions will be taken and determines the importance of leadership in difficult times. Leadership style plays an important role in the ethical behavior of its members in an organization. The term leadership can be defined as managing a group of persons or members to achieve a common goal (Clegg, Kornberger & Pitsis, 2012). It is to be noted that the leaders in an organization may or may not have any formal authority. Leaders have to play an additional role and look at managing the entire team in a manner which will help to use the resources in the most ethical manner (Kanov, Maitlis, Worline, Dutton, Frost & Lilius, 2004). Different individuals forming group work collectively to form an organization to achieve a common goal. It is important to transform or hire employees with ethical behavior which are in consistent with the organizational ethical norms and standards; a deviation from the same is always a threat to the organizations success. Fernando, Dharmage & Almeida (2008) has clearly highlighted that it is important to synchronize the individual ethical behavior with the organizational ethical behavior to achieve organizational growth and success in the long and short run. This has been matched by another study in the same direction which focuses on presenting the importance of being ethical in the work environment so that the strategies which are developed will help in the long term prospect of the business (Wray-­‐Bliss, 2007). Every organization is a part of the society and it is equally important to induce ethical behavior in the organizations running to ensure that the organization is able to fulfill both societal objective and business objective in a smooth manner with equal preference given to individual ethics and standards in contrast with the organizational ethical norms, standards and code of conduct. Wray-­‐Bliss (2007) have further identified ethical behavior as a standard that an individual sets for himself which includes attributes such as honesty, responsibility and how an individual behave and respond to day to day activities. It is basically the ways which the society thinks as good values. It is important from a business prospective and involves demonstrating the key principles of an organizations goals and objectives that includes honesty, equality, dignity, respect, fairness and individual rights in an organization (Schwartz, 2000). Herman (2007) has presented the importance of determining the leadership styles which is to be practiced in an organization to encourage its members to equip themselves with the organizational moral values and ethical norms, rather than individuals following their own self interest to accomplish their own self goals and objectives. It is important that the leader is equipped with organizational ethical norms. Leaders should be able to set an example for its members in an organization and identify the threats that might have a negative influence on the societal values (Browning, 2007). This has been supported by Smith & Edmondson, (2006) who states that having a leader who aims at self- actualization and raise moral awareness among its members look towards bringing all the members together so that they are able to perform as a team and bring the required transformation through which better effectiveness will be achieved. Stubbs & Cocklin, (2008) has further stressed the fact a model has to be developed and selected which looks towards ensuring that the leaders and the others member remain ethical and function as a team. It is usually the ethical leaders that treat their members in a fair and unbiased way and influence them to understand the ethical objectives of the organization and help the members to synchronize their self ethics and objectives in contrast with the organizational ethical standards and objectives (Fernando, Dharmage & Almeida, 2008). This is clearly highlighted in the Australian industry where the leaders look at developing an environment which looks towards development of ways which are ethical and ensures that all the people act in an ethical manner. This will have a positive impact on the style of working and will thereby have to influence the working pattern and determine the manner in which the goals will be achieved. Gabriel (1997) has further stated and clarified the stance by highlighting the fact that leaders and its members are part of an organization and an organization itself is a party of the society which has its own societal values and ethics, which an organization in order to operate in a society has to follow. This makes it important that the organization acts fair in all situations and look towards developing the leadership style which will provide maximum results and benefits for the organization. Efficiency in utilization, mobilization, allocation and enhancement of the organizations performance and success among other factors also depends equally on the leadership style deployed by the leaders or managers in the organization (Bolden & Gosling, 2006). For example, leader uses different methods to deal with employees like reward and punishment and can be termed as a transactional leader however they ignore the moral values and ethics of its members and members who are lower in authority is compelled to follow the same and might increase the productivity of the organization in the shorter run but it will definitely affect the job satisfaction level of the employees in the longer run and employees may decide to discontinue with their task as the transactional style of leadership will not be able to take into consideration the ethical norms and standards of its members rather the transactional leader may be more pruned to achieve its own ethical standards and objectives in the group rather than achieving the group objectives. Dimitroff, Schmidt & Bond, (2005) have clearly brought forward that the reason of different crisis which has affected organization is the manner in which leaders and others act in an unethical manner. This is backed by the fact that they don’t have the required code of conduct which will help to deliver the required results. A common code of conduct is always beneficial for the leaders to influence the ethical behavior of its members as members when follow the same code of ethics without inequality of their respective positions in an organization feels unbiased and are treated fairly and equally in terms of ethical behavior (Dimitroff, Schmidt & Bond, 2005). Browning (2007) has further highlighted that leaders in an organization can be broadly classified into three categories i.e. Principled, Conventional and Pre-conventional. It is to be noted that leaders of the principled category are likely to instill less ethical behavior in the organization and members of this category are likely to follow and achieve their own values and objectives and work as per their own ethical values and standards. However, leaders belonging to the conventional and pre-conventional category consider both internal and external influences into their leadership styles and lead the organization in a more ethical manner and highly influence the ethical behavior of its members in the organization (Brown, Trevino & Harrison, 2005). Leaders that transmit ethical values through modeling has a higher success rate in winning the trust and confidence of its members and are more likely to influence the individual ethical standards of its members in contrast with the common organizational values, goals, objectives and ethical standards. Different leaders in different organizations follow different leadership styles however, all ethical leaders in any organization aims to achieve a common code of conduct and influence the ethical behavior of its members to build a good working environment and try to synchronize the ethical values of organization and individual ethical values in line to one another (Bolden & Gosling, 2006). Parker (2002) has stressed the importance of being fair and acting in an ethical manner so that the overall objectives can be better attained. Ethical leaders usually set high standards of moral and ethical conduct and lay down a formal emulation. They have strong moral values and good standard for themselves which lead the behaviors and decisions of its members to promote ethical standards, policies, procedures and processes within the organization (Parker, 2002). They appear as ethical role models or exemplars to influence and encourage their followers or members to set their individual internal set of moral and ethical values and standards which further helps in establishing a basis for its member identities and ultimately lead to an ethical working environment in the organization. Ethical leaders many times in an organization use rewards and punishments to influence its members or followers ethical behavior (O’Connell & Bligh, 2009). Vicarious learning plays an important role in learning ethical and unethical behavior in an organization, it helps the members to understand ethical and unethical issues and further what is acceptable and unacceptable in context of an organization by paying attention to how other organization in the external environment rewards or punishes their members which helps in regulating their own behavior as a result of the same. Fernando, Dharmage & Almeida (2008) clearly highlights the manner in which strategies were taken by different managers to remain ethical and while looking to take different business decisions. This had a negative impact on the business performance for a short period of time but over a longer period of time the business was able to garner efficiency and improve the overall style of working. It is to be noted that under the influence of ethical leader and their leadership styles operated in an organization its members or followers are more likely to transcend their own self interests, ego, moral values, and needs as they are guided and supported by self- determined moral values and ethical standards (Stubbs & Cocklin, 2008). Leaders in an organization coach and monitor its members to assume greater moral and ethical standards and thus influence the ethical behavior its members to a greater extent in the correct and constructive direction which indeed helps both the members of the organization and the organization achieve success in both shorter and longer period of time span. Thus, we see that ethical leadership styles practiced in an organization influences its members to be committed towards moral and ethical ideals and standards both in the work place and society at large. It helps to behave consistently with their ethical values and standards. Members or followers are willing to take higher risks to follow their ethical leaders and being loyal to the organization and society at large. Not only the leaders but the members or followers inspire other to stick to good ethical practices and standards. It develops an environment in the work place where members place the collective interests of the group or the organization above individual personal egos and self interests. Organizations in today’s economic scenario requires ethical leaders to influence their members and followers who transcend their self interest and focus on what is good and ethical for the group as a whole rather than what is good for self interest. Leadership style should be so implemented that its values and give consideration to the ethics of each employee and respect their rights so that they are treated with dignity and build confidence and trust in their leaders. Thus in a nutshell, leadership styles practiced in an organization influences the ethical behavior of its followers or members but it is of prime importance that the leaders themselves practice ethical values and standards without which the members are unlikely to be influenced or may be influenced in a wrong path which might prove to be detrimental for the organization and society at large. A common code of conduct makes the members fell unbiased and equal and further helps to make the workplace a better place. References Bolden, R. & Gosling, J. 2006. Leadership competencies: Time to change the tune? Leadership, 2 (2), 147-163 Browning, B.W. 2007. Leadership in desperate times: An analysis of endurance: Shackleton"s incredible voyage through the lens of leadership theory. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9 (2), 183-­198 Brown, M.E., Trevino, L.K. & Harrison, D.A. 2005. Ethical leadership: A Social Learning Perspective for Construct Development and Testing. 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