Ethics, Values & Inclusion - Week 13 LinkedIn Assignment, Pepperdine University MSED

In a position of leadership, it’s important to embody a person of integrity and ethics. When we think of a leader, we think of someone that we can look up to and that we can aspire to be like; someone that we can trust to be ethical and honest. The concept of ethics is a set of principles and values that are widely recognized as morally good. “Good leaders are altruistic and behave in a way that shows genuine care for others” (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2018). In the video, “The Effects of Culture on Organizational Ethics”, they elaborated on bad leadership and the opposite of what a good leader should be. They briefly discussed how Volkswagon was found to be dishonest about their internal culture, therefore revealing that they did not adhere to a code of ethics. The leaders of this company were revealed to not live up to a standard of ethics and ended up being publically exposed. This exposure of dishonesty showed that these leaders could not be trusted and also squashed the legitimacy of the company as a whole as well (The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2015). Being dishonest while in a position of leadership can damage your entire image as a whole, and make you completely untrustworthy.

Good leaders are altruistic and behave in a way that shows genuine care for others (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2018). As a leader, it’s essential to live out your purpose by genuinely being a good example to others. Leadership ties together with purpose because leaders are supposed to fill their role of being a person that someone else can aspire to be like. When defining purpose, you give meaning to something or an experience. In Rick Warren’s Ted Talk video, he states that everyone has an inner desire. That you’re created and here for a purpose, not just on accident (Ted, 2008). When you find your true purpose and meaning on Earth, that’s when you can really find guidance in life and figure out the path you’re destined to be on. Leadership is all about finding your purpose. How can I live out my purpose by being a good example to others? What can I do as a leader that truly embodies someone with good character and morals?

Ethics, purpose, and leadership connect to ethical studies because these concepts are the groundwork and foundation of how a leader can be an example to others. The decisions that a leader will make in their role can be incredibly impactful, in a positive or negative way. And these intrinsic, ethical values play a huge role in how one makes any sort of decisions in a leadership role. I believe that a successful leader considers the greater good and makes decisions based on the best interest of others. How can your actions affect others? Is what I’m doing going to evoke a positive result? These are the kind of questions that one must consider before making any sort of ethical decisions while in a leadership role.

Works Cited:

The Institute of Internal Auditors. (2015).?The Effects of Culture on Organizational Ethics?[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F-oQAcCvN0

MacKinnon,?B., & Fiala, A. (2018).?Ethics : theory and contemporary issues?(9th ed.).?Cenegage.

TED. (2008).?A life of purpose | Rick Warren?[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=640BQNxB5mc

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