Just as a heightened awareness of ethical imperialism is necessary for international business, so too is the knowledge that there is no such thing as "global ethics." What is considered to be acceptable in Bangladesh (i.e., working conditions) may be considered appalling and unethical to Switzerland. Whether or not the Swiss company chooses to do business with another country that may disregard basic human needs, depends upon the company’s ethical code. The point is the drastic difference in ethical foundations. There is simply not a synonymous ethical language spoken across nations and thus, it is paramount that the ethical standards referenced within nations are consistent and prevalent.

Considering cultural relativism must be taken into account when doing business internationally, it’s equally as important to have leadership in place that recognizes the nuances in cross-culture ethics - well, not only cross-borders but within them too. Three guiding principles suggested for ethical consideration in difficult scenarios include: 1) Respect for core human values, 2) Respect for local traditions, and 3) The belief that context matters when deciding what is right and wrong. We can adopt ethical leadership in our backyard - and these considerations have the ability to permeate throughout a culture.

This is timely. We are in need of ethical leaders.

There must be a backbone for corporate ethics. At the root: ethical decision making is the difference between successful companies and broken ones; the variance in nations that thrive, and those that are broken from within. If leaders do the work, they will be aware of the steps to take when an ethical dilemma is presented. Without a guideline, those in positions of influence and in positions of power could make a decision lacking in sound judgment.

What should be applied in any decision-making process?

Preciseness.

It’s logical that any person who faces a predicament should reference corporate materials that were created to help guide leaders in complicated situations. The majority of companies (ninety percent of all Fortune 500 companies, in fact) have codes of conduct. These materials have the need to be explicit about procedures in an array of situations. If a lack of specificity is provided, the leader should seek out answers to questions. Ideally, though, these procedures are already in practice.

Call for Core Values.

At the deepest level of an ethical dilemma, leaders should reference core values in order to determine their next steps. These values include respect for human dignity, respect for basic rights, and good citizenship. These concepts are in alignment with the theoretical concepts constructed for ethics, as seen in ethical leadership texts dating back to the 1970s.

When determining what is ethical, it would serve the leader well to consider these core values and or ethical theories, prior to making a decision and/or presenting options to a supervisor.

But what about the processes for implementation of these guidelines?

Ethics Committee.

Adopting an ethics committee will support the goals of maintaining an ethical organization. The committee can be composed of both company leadership and representatives from all company hierarchy. The purpose is to discuss ethical issues/problems being faced. It is important to include all levels; when subordinates feel like their input is valued, they are more likely to be invested in the company, ending in higher loyalty and decreased turnover. The participants would be welcome to provide input into possible ethical code additions or adjustments.

Leadership Training.

It’s no surprise that subordinates learn by example. In order to ensure proper conduct, leadership training would be paired with ethical values training. This training would provide the framework for ethical decision making and would help team members learn about appropriate conduct in an array of situations. This would be part of the on-boarding process, a foundational topic raised in meetings and corporate updates, and would be an annual training program.

Code of Conduct.

A code of conduct would not only be created, it would be treated as the road map for decision making. The code of conduct, or ethical standards, would need to be treated as the must all, whether at home or abroad. This consistency would reaffirm the company’s values and help establish its footprint for ethical practices.

What practices does your organization have in place to ensure ethical leadership?

First published on LinkedIn.

It’s a “me first” society. I’d even argue our self-centered approach is worsening; from entitlement, to straight up narcissism, the absence of humility and selflessness is becoming systemic. It’s finding ways into every corner of our lives, including the workplace.

Robert Greenleaf crafted the phenomenon of servant leadership over 40 years ago. Empirical research has since been completed to identify not only what servant leadership should ideally be, but what it looks like in practice.

I am a proponent of not only adopting the behavioral components of servant leadership but honestly believe the ripple effect of servant leadership is incomparable.

Servant leadership is about others. From attentive listening to empathizing and nurturing, servant leadership focuses on developing each person’s full potential. From my viewpoint, the most powerful part of servant leadership is the desire to put followers first, empowering them in the process.

I am not saying you should forget about your needs, but instead, understand the principles of servant leadership to grasp the associated benefit (for you and for others!). One of the critical elements of servant leadership is ethical and sustainable behavior. Meaning, servant leaders not only lead with ethics as the cornerstone of their decision-making, but make an exerted effort to be concerned for those with less fortune. Are there inequalities and injustices in the workplace? As a servant leader, your goal is to try to remove them; this transcends beyond daily leadership and into global influence.

The essential piece to servant leadership is the ability to empower. As a leader, you shift authority to those you are leading. Helping team members be self-sufficient and make decisions on their own builds followers’ confidence. Sharing control is monumental. How do leaders lose their way? Power. Control. Egocentrism. By providing freedom and encouragement to employees to handle difficult situations, they buy into the notion that their decisions affect others. As a result, he or she become motivated and accountable members of the organization.

The focus here is on the leader’s behaviors; the north stars are empathy, placing followers’ needs first, helping followers succeed, behaving ethically, empowering, and creating value for the community. Why is servant leadership worth investigating? Outcomes of servant leadership include an increase in follower performance and growth, improvement in organizational performance, and societal impact.

Having a deeper understanding of servant leadership allows you to determine if this approach is right for you. If you’re interested in testing your current servant leadership capabilities, send me a note.

A Call for Ethical Leadership

Changing "Me First," to You, First.