Chapter 3. The Leader’s Character

1. Chapter 3. The Leader’s Character • This chapter addresses the inner dimension of leadership ethics. • Questions as we enter this chapter: • How do we shed light rather than shadows? • How do we promote our character development?

2. Virtues and Virtue Ethics • To keep from projecting our internal enemies and selfishness on others, we need to go on the offensive, replacing or managing our unhealthy motivations through the development of positive leadership traits or qualities called virtues. • Premise of virtue ethics is good people (those of high moral character), make good, moral choices. • Joined by positive psychologist who believe there is more value in identifying and promoting the strengths of individuals than in trying to repair their weaknesses

3. Virtues Ethics • More on Virtue Ethics • Those who promote virtue ethics start with the end in mind. • These proponents develop a description or portrait of the ideal person (leader) and identify the admirable qualities or tendencies that make up the character of this ethical role model • They always suggest ways in which others can acquire these virtues

4. 1. Virtues are woven into the inner life of leaders • 2. Virtues shape the way leaders see and behave • 3. Virtues operate independently of the situation • 4. Virtues help leaders live better lives Virtues 4 important features of virtues

5. Elements of Character • Important virtues for leaders include the following: • Courage • Prudence (Practical Wisdom) • Optimism • Integrity • Humility • Reverence • Compassion (Kindness, Generosity, Love) • Justice

6. Courage • Of all the virtues, courage is no doubt the most universally admired. —Philosopher Andre Comte-Sponville • Courage is overcoming fear in order to do the right thing. • Leaders who are courageous acknowledge the dangers and anxiety they face • They move forward despite the risks and costs • People must have courage if they are to fulfill the two components of ethical leadership: acting morally and exerting moral influence.

7. Courageous Followership • The Courage to Assume Responsibility • Followers must be accountable both for themselves and for the organization as a whole. • The Courage to Serve • Courageous followers support their leaders through hard, often unglamorous work. • The Courage to Challenge • Courageous followers need to confront leaders acting in a destructive manner.

8. Courageous Followership (cont’d) • The Courage to Participate in Transformation • They need to take personal responsibility and visualize the outcomes of the transformation: better health, more productive employees, higher self-esteem, restored relationships. • The Courage to Leave • When leaders are unwilling to change, courageous followers may take principled action by resigning from the organization.

9. Prudence (Practical Wisdom) • . . . the goal of human life is to be good. Prudence assists us in getting there. —Baldwin-Wallace College professors Alan Kolp and Peter Rea • Prudence is the ability to discern or select the best course of action in a given situation. • Prudent leaders keep in mind the long-term consequences of their choices.

10. Optimism • Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out. —Former Czechoslovakian president Václav Havel • Optimists expect positive outcomes • They are more confident than pessimists • They acknowledge the reality of situations and take steps for improvement • Optimism is an essential quality for leaders.

11. Integrity • Integrity lies at the very heart of understanding what leadership is. —Business professors Joseph Badaracco and Richard Ellsworth • Integrity is defined as wholeness or completeness. • These leaders are true to themselves and are consistent with what they say publically as well as how they think and act privately. • They are honest in their dealings with others.

12. Humility • Let us be a little humble; let us think that the truth may not be entirely with us. —Jawaharlal Nehru • Because of the failure of many celebrity CEO’s there is a strong argument for leaders to be humble • Some argue that humility strikes a balance between having an overly low and having an overly high opinion of the self.

13. Humility • 3 Components of Humility • 1. Self awareness: objectively assessing his/her strengths as a leader as well as their limitations • 2. Openness: product of knowing one’s weaknesses; being open to new ideas and knowledge • 3. Transcendence: acknowledging that there is a greater power than the self

14. Reverence • It’s not wise To lift our thoughts too high; We are human and our time is short. —Ancient Greek playwright Euripides • Reverence can be thought of as the capacity to feel a sense of awe, respect, and even shame when appropriate. • Leaders that show reverence respect the input of others, rely on persuasion rather than force, and listen to followers’ ideas.

15. Compassion (Kindness, Generosity, Love) • All happiness in the world comes from serving others; all sorrow in the world comes from acting selfishly. —Leadership expert Margaret Wheatley • An orientation that puts others ahead of the self • Value others regardless of whether or not they get anything in return

16. Justice • What is good And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy And to walk humbly with your God. —Old Testament prophet Micah • 2 Components of Justice: • 1. A sense of obligation for the common good • 2. Treating others as equally and fairly as possible

17. Character Building • Finding Role Models • We often learn what it means to be virtuous by observing and imitating exemplary leaders. • If we’re to develop worthy character, we need examples of those who demonstrate virtue on a daily basis. • Because character is developed over time through a series of moral choices and actions, we need examples of those who live consistent moral lives.

18. Character Building • Moral Episodes v. Moral Processes • Moral episodes are made up of moral crises and moral confrontations. • These crises are often dangerous and those that respond to them could be considered “moral heroes.” • Moral confrontations aren’t dangerous, but they do involve risk and call for “moral champions.” • Moral processes consist of moral projects and moral work. • Moral projects are designed to improve ethical behavior during a limited amount of time and require “moral leaders.” • The “moral worker” strives for ethical consistency throughout life.

19. Character Building • Moral exemplars common characteristics: • Certainty: Moral exemplars are sure of what they believe and take responsibility for acting on their convictions. • Positivity: They take a positive approach to life even in the face of hardship; they enjoy what they do and are optimistic about the future. • Unity of self and moral goals: They do not distinguish between their personal identity and their ethical convictions.

20. Telling and Living Collective Stories • Virtues are more likely to take root when nurtured by families, schools, governments, and religious bodies. • Worthy narratives bring out the best in us, encouraging us to suppress our inner demons and to cast light instead of shadow. • We can learn leaderships ethics from both fictional characters and real-life ones. • Almost any story about leaders, whether real or fictional, can teach us something about ethical and unethical behavior.

21. Learning from Hardship • Hardship and suffering can play an important role in developing character. • Hardship has been identified as one of the factors contributing to leadership development. • Hardships, along with novelty, difficult goals, and conflict, challenge people. • Leaders can develop the fastest when they encounter situations that stretch or challenge them.

22. Learning from Hardship • 5 Common Categories of Hardship Events: • 1. Business mistakes and failures: examples would include losing an important client, failed products and programs, broken relationships and bankruptcy • 2. Career setbacks: examples would include missed promotions, unsatisfying jobs, demotions and firings • 3. Personal trauma: examples include divorce, cancer, death, and difficult children • 4. Problem employees: troubled employees include those who steal, defraud, cannot perform, or perform well only part of the time • 5. Downsizing: leaders who lose their job through no fault of their own

23. Learning from Hardship • Tips to Learn from a Specific Failure • 1. Identify a significant failure from your professional or personal life and summarize the failure in a sentence (be sure to use the word failure). • 2. Describe how you felt and thought about the failure immediately after it happened. • 3. Move forward in time to identify any positive outcomes that came out of the failure, including skills you acquired, lessons you learned, and any relationships you established. • 4. Identify how the failure changed or shaped you as a person, noting any new traits or attitudes you have adopted and whether you are any more mature now than before the failure event.34

24. Habit 1: Be proactive • Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind • Habit 3: Put first things first • Habit 4: Think win-win • Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood • Habit 6: Synergize • Habit 7: Sharpen the saw (continual renewal of the physical, mental, social or emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the self) Habits are repeated routines or practices designed to foster virtuous behavior. The 7 habits of effective and ethical leaders:

25. 9 cairns (or markers) for creating personal purpose: • 1. Call your purpose; listen for guidance • 2. Find a sacred place • 3. See time as continuous; begin with the child and move with the present • 4. Identify special skills and talents; accept imperfections • 5. Trust your intuition • 6. Open the door when opportunity knocks • 7. Find your passion and make it happen • 8. Write your life story; imagine a great leader • 9. Honor your legacy; one step at a time Mission Statements Developing a mission statement is the best way to keep the end or destination in mind.

26. Identifying Values • Our values serve as a moral compass to guide us. • Values provide a frame of reference, helping us to set priorities and to determine right or wrong. • Many discussions in organizations have an underlying value component. • Working with a list of values can be helpful.

27. Identifying Values • 6 Major Value Types (Prototypes are examples of occupations that best fit into the given orientation) • 1. Theoretical: intellectuals who want to discover the truth • Prototypes: research scientists, engineers • 2. Economic: usefulness is the most important criterion • Prototype: small business owner • 3. Aesthetic: value form and harmony • Prototypes: artists, architects

28. Identifying Values • 6 Major Value Types (cont’d) • 4. Social: love of others is the highest value • Prototype: social worker • 5. Political: power driven • Prototypes: senators, governors • 6. Religious: seek unity through understanding and relating to the cosmos as a whole • Prototypes: pastors, rabbis, Muslim clerics