How ethical are you as a leader?

I have taught ethics to a number of MBA students. It must count as some of my most challenging assignments. The problem is that a group of people will undoubtedly have differing opinions on what is ethical and what is unethical. Added to this, some people even consider business ethics as an oxymoron.

Self-evaluation is a critical component of business ethics. People should spend as much time looking in the mirror as they do watching and judging the behaviour of others. Periodically examine and reflect on your own behaviours to ensure you are staying on the ethical track.

Being ethical – at work and away from the job – should not mean acting differently. Attention to ethics is not something you turn on and off. For it to be meaningful, practicing ethics must be part of your everyday life.

The ultimate leadership responsibility is modeling the behaviours you expect from others. To a large degree, you operate in a fishbowl. Employees are constantly watching you and learning from you. They rightfully assume that it’s okay to do whatever you do. Regardless of what’s written or said elsewhere in the organisation, your behaviour is the performance standard employees will follow. That’s an awesome “comes with the territory” responsibility. But it’s also an awesome opportunity to influence the ethics of your work unit and the entire organisation. What example are you setting for your employees?