By Linda Fisher Thornton
This post is Part 4 in the series “5 Insights Into Leadership Development Future.”
The previous posts in the series in case you missed them:
Part 1 on Global Trends
Part 2 on Wholeness
Part 3 on Growth and Human Development
In Part 4, we take a look at positive ethical values and the search for meaning.
Leaders need to help diverse groups of meaning-seekers thrive.
One way they do that is by leading with positive values.
The best leaders are modeling leadership that is infused with ethical values like care, respect, sustainability and community service. They demonstrate that they understand the role that values play in good leadership.
Ethical values will increasingly be considered an important element of what it means to lead.
“Recommendations for future research to promote the development and measurement of leaders who have morality, ethics, and authenticity as foundational behaviors to their leadership.”
Mary Kay Copeland, THE EMERGING SIGNIFICANCE OF VALUES BASED LEADERSHIP: A LITERATURE REVIEW, International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 8 Iss. 2, 2014
The best leaders are clear about their own values, they model the values of the organization, they follow laws, regulations and policies and they reach higher than laws to lead with positive ethical values. They do it because it’s the right thing to do, and they find that it also benefits them and their businesses in powerful ways.
Ethical values inspire meaning-seekers who want to do more than “just show up.”
Learning to lead with positive ethical values meets a number of human and organizational needs (that go way beyond compliance with laws and regulations).
- People can do their best work in a positive, supportive environment where leaders strive for excellence, innovation and ethical leadership
- Positive ethical values help leaders find their way through the maze, handling complex issues that are naturally part of the leadership role
- Making decisions using ethical values helps leaders handle complexity without falling into ethical problems
- Leading with positive ethical values fulfills a powerful human need for meaning and difference making
What can happen when leaders work to create meaningful work spaces where people can thrive? They are likely to find meaning themselves by helping others grow.
5 Actions to Take Now
What actions can we take now?
- Teach positive ethical values and make them an integral part of all leadership learning experiences in every setting. Make sure leaders know how powerfully those values attract meaning-seeking employees.
- Drive your message home by hiring, promoting and rewarding leaders who treat everyone with respect and lead with positive ethical values.
- Make it clear that in good leadership, ethical values are more important than monetary gain or personal power.
- Provide a safe space to discuss how to apply ethical values in your organization, and explore how ethical values help people find meaning in their work.
- Help leaders learn how to think through ethical challenges using positive values (it takes practice).
More to Come: Stay tuned for #5 in the series!
Prepare Your Leaders For Ethical Leadership Future – Help Them Learn To See Through The 7 Lenses®.
Includes how ethical expectations are increasing, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.
Click the cover to read a free preview!
Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership®
©2016 Leading in Context LLC