How to Be an Ethical Leader: 10 Tips for Success

I don’t want to pass up the opportunity to share an article I read about How to Be an Ethical Leader: 10 Tips for Success. Here are a few highlights:

How can you be an ethical leader?

While ethical leadership may sound lofty, it’s more attainable than you might think. Here’s how to become an ethical leader.

1. Define and align your values.

Consider the morals you were raised with: Treat others how you want to be treated, always say thank you, help those who are struggling, etc. But as you grow and society progresses, conventions change, often causing values to shift.

Ask yourself what matters to you as an individual, and then align that with your priorities as a company leader. Defining your values not only expresses your authenticity, but also encourages your team to do the same, creating a shared vision for all workers. Kelly said that to succeed with ethical leadership, business owners should demonstrate how adhering to specific values benefits the organisation’s mission.?

2. Hire people with similar values.

While your values don’t need to be identical to those of your workers, you should be able to establish common ground with them. This often starts with the hiring process and is maintained through a?vision statement .

The same mentality should apply to choosing business partners, consultants, suppliers and even customers. Your ethical values must align across all your business operations. Learn more about?hiring for cultural fit .??

3. Promote open communication.

With each decision you make, be transparent and?encourage feedback ?from your team. This helps you become a better leader and allows your workers to feel more confident sharing their ideas or concerns.

4. Beware of bias.

As humans, many of us have beliefs, subconscious or otherwise, that are outdated or erroneous. No leader wants to admit their flaws, but failure to practice self-awareness can have detrimental consequences.

Recognise the biases, preconceived notions and stereotypes in every situation, and be sure you’re not doling out unfair treatment as a result of them.

5. Lead by example.

To build an ethical company, you must start from the top down. Your employees will see your behavior, choices and values and adopt them in their own practices.

Leading by example means displaying the characteristics and behaviors you want your staff to embrace and practice. It instills respect and lets your employees know that you truly believe in them and trust them to work in accordance with the example you’ve set.

6. Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes.

As the saying goes, to err is human. When mistakes are made, thoughtful and ethical leaders put their egos aside and hold themselves accountable. If something goes wrong, don’t make excuses or try to downplay the damage. Instead, be honest, admit what happened, apologise if needed and share a proposed recovery plan with all stakeholders.?

Don’t shy away from assuming full responsibility for negative actions and mistakes made by your employees. Present yourself as a strong, caring leader who stands by their team and is focused on finding solutions rather than pointing fingers.

7. Find your role models.

Some examples of stellar ethical leaders are Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Warren Buffett, Eleanor Roosevelt, Howard Schultz (former CEO of Starbucks Coffee), Dame Anita Roddick (founder of The Body Shop), James Burke (former CEO of Johnson & Johnson) and Andy Grove (former CEO of Intel Corporation). Study their careers, wins and mistakes to learn what to emulate, how to rebound from missteps and how their experiences can influence the way you ethically lead others at your own company.

8. Embed corporate social responsibility into your business strategy.?

Corporate social responsibility ?(CSR) is a form of business self-regulation with the aim of practicing social accountability and commitment to make a positive impact on society. There are many ways in which your company can embrace CSR. For instance, you can ensure you’re being eco-conscious;?promote equity, diversity and inclusion ?in the workplace; give back to the community; and treat your employees with respect.

Want to know more? Head on over to the full article here for more ideas and perspective. Afterwards, why not drop me an email to share your thoughts at [email protected]; or call me on 0467 749 378.

Thanks,

Robert