The influence of morality and ethics on authentic leadership
https://ilokabenneth.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-influence-of-morality-and-ethics-on.html
Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 24-October-2014
Importance of authentic leadership
and influence of morality and ethics on authentic leaders
A
number of arguments have been raised as to what constitute an authentic
leadership in both real application (Gardner &
Schermerhorn, 2004; George & Sims, 2007; George et al., 2007; George, 2003;
May et al., 2003) and academic literatures (Avolio
et al., 2004; Avolio & Luthans, 2006; Avolio & Walumbwa, 2006; Gardner
et al., 2005; Luthans & Avolio, 2003). Luthans
and Avolio (2003) defend authentic leadership has been defined as a
process acquired from both positive psychological capabilities and a highly
developed context within the organization, that will bring about both higher
level of self-awareness and self-regulated positive behaviors from both the
leaders and their associated, and enhancing positive self-development in the
process.
Ilies et al. (2005) drew on the concepts of Michael Kernis’s (2003)
and highlighted the importance of leader authenticity as:
1. It
enhances the self-awareness of the leader, further boosting their level of
emotional intelligence and cognitive decision making process that enhances the
effectiveness of their management process.
2. It
brings about unbiased processing, thus offering followers equal right to excel
at any stage of the business process.
3. It
brings about authentic behavior and acting, making the leaders more predictive
and the followers more focused on directional matters that will bring brighten
the leader’s’ perception about them (and in most cases bring bout improved
performance in the organization).
4. It
brings about authentic relational behavior from the leader towards the
followers. Thus, making it easy for the follower to understand what is needed
of them and how they can go about bringing such needs to reality.
In
essence, authentic leadership is about being “one’s self”, “being open and
reachable”, and being “honest”. It enhances level of loyalty and commitment
from the followers to the leaders. It is the right path to enhanced and
sustainable performance because the leader always voices out what is needed in
the exact manner it is needed. Thus, followers will have no reason to blame
other persons but themselves.
Morality
and ethics are two constructs that always feature in authentic leadership. As
defined by Brown et al. (2005), ethical
leadership I all about demonstrating normatively appropriate conducts via
individual actions and interpersonal relationships, and also promoting such
conducts to follower through a two-way decision making, communication, and
reinforcement. As such, it can be seen that ethics and morality are important
in authentic leadership because it makes such leaders more principled decision
makers that are concerned about their followers and the society at large (Brown & Treviño, 2006); it makes such leaders more
willing to do the right thing personally and professionally through honesty,
fairness, openness and integrity. Additionally, ethical leaders are
well-disciplined and consistent when it comes to matters of ethical standards,
and they don’t compromise with these features even when faced with high
pressure and uncertainty (Brown et al., 2005).
As such, morality and ethics makes authentic leader to “always be themselves.”
It makes them to be “authentic.” However, morality and ethics are not the only construct
for transforming into an authentic leader.
References
Avolio, B. J., & Luthans, F. 2006. The high
impact leader: Authentic, resilient leadership that gets results and sustains
growth. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Avolio, B. J., & Walumbwa, F. O. 2006. Authentic
leadership: Moving HR leaders to a higher level. In J. J. Martocchio (Ed.),
Research in personnel and human resources management: 273-304. Oxford, UK:
Elsevier/JAI Press.
Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Walumbwa, F. O.,
Luthans, F., & May, D. R. 2004. Unlocking the mask: A look at the process
by which authentic leaders impact follower attitudes and behaviors. Leadership
Quarterly, 15: 801-823.
Brown, M. E. & Treviño, L. K. 2006. Ethical
leadership: A review and future directions. Leadership Quarterly, 17: 595-616
Brown, M. E., Treviño, L. K., & Harrison, D. A.
2005. Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct
development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,
97: 117-134.
Gardner, W. L., & Schermerhorn, J. R. 2004.
Unleashing individual potential: Performance gains through positive
organizational behavior and authentic leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 33:
270-281.
Gardner, W. L., Avolio, B. J., & Walumbwa, F. O.
2005. Authentic leadership development: Emergent trends and future directions.
In W. L. Gardner, B. J. Avolio, & F. O. Walumbwa (Eds.), Authentic
leadership theory and practice: Origins, effects and development: 387-406.
Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science.
George, B. 2003. Authentic leadership: Rediscovering
the secrets to creating lasting value. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
George, B., & Sims, P. 2007. True north:
Discover your authentic leadership. Jossey-Bass
George, B., Sims, P., McLean, A. N., & Mayer, D.
2007. Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 85(2):
129-138.
Ilies, R., Morgeson, F. P., & Nahrgang, J. D.
2005. Authentic leadership and eudaemonic well-being: Understanding
leader-follower outcomes. Leadership Quarterly, 16: 373-394.
Luthans, F., & Avolio, B. J. 2003. Authentic
leadership development. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn
(Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: 241-258. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler.
May, D. R., Chan, A., Hodges, T., & Avolio, B.
J. 2003. Developing the moral component of authentic leadership. Organizational
Dynamics, 32: 247-260.