Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience; Chapter 5: Values, Ethics, and Character

In your OPINION, what are the flaws of Zemke's research?

(MY OPINION): He uses sweeping generalizations across each generation. Using universal language calls into question the validity of his arguments: Generational influences are just one part of what makes a leader form values. In the last paragraph on 155, the text mentions other research, of over 1000 people, that found little evidence of a generational gap in basic values.

What are the steps to maintaining an ethical climate?

1. Formal ethics policies and procedures 2. Core ideology: this is an organization's heart and soul. 3. Integrity: This cannot be a mere set of boardroom plaques or other exhortations to behave well. 4. Structured reinforcement. 5. Process focus: HOW are goals achieved, not just are they achieved.

What are the four biases than can have a pervasive and corrosive effect on our moral decision-making?

1. Implicit prejudice: The insidious nature of implicit prejudice is that one is by nature unconscious of it. When one is queried, for example, about whether one harbors prejudice against Eskimos, one answers based on one's self-awareness of such attitudes. Some people are overtly racist or sexist, but offensive as such prejudice may be, it is at least something known to the person. In the case of implicit prejudice, however, judgments about some group are systematically biased without their awareness. 2. In-group favoritism: Most of us can readily point to numerous favors and acts of kindness we've shown toward others, and we understandably regard such acts as indicators of our own generosity and kindly spirit. However, there is typically a clear pattern to those whom we've helped: most of the time they're "like us." This may not seem surprising, but one needs to consider who's not being helped: people "not like us." In other words, when we make an exception for an "on the bubble" job applicant who is like us, and fail to make such an exception for an identical candidate who is "not like us," we have effectively discriminated against the latter. 3. Overclaiming Credit: Overrating the quality of our own work and our contributions to the groups and teams we belong to. 4. Conflicts of interest: potential conflicts of interest could be when you benefit from a recommendation to someone else (such as getting a sales commission for something that may not be in the consumer's best interest).

What are the four categories of attitudes and behaviors associates with leading by example (based on the research of an organization's leaders?

1. Interpersonal behaviors: They showed care, concern, and compassion for others. They were hardworking and helpful. They valued their relationships with others, working actively to maintain and sustain them. 2. Basic fairness: A specific quality of their interpersonal behaviors was manifested in the fairness shown to others. They were not only open to input from others but actively sought it. They tended to offer explanations of decisions. They treated others respectfully, never condescendingly , even amid disagreements. 3. Ethical actions and self-expectations: They held themselves to high ethical standards and behaved consistently in both their public and private lives. They accepted responsibility for and were open about their own ethical failings. They were perceived as honest, trustworthy, humble, and having high integrity. 4. Articulating ethical standards: They articulated a consistent ethic vision and were uncompromising toward it and the high ethical standards it implied. They held others ethically accountable and put ethical standards above personal and short-term company interests.

What are the three components of moral potency?

1. Moral ownership: A felt sense of responsibility not only for the ethical nature of one's own behavior but also for one's commitment not to allow unethical things to happen within their broader sphere of influence including others and the organization. 2. Moral courage: The fortitude to face risk and overcome fears associates with taking ethical action. 3. Moral efficacy: Belief or confidence in one's capability to mobilize various personal, interpersonal, and other external resources to persist despite moral adversity.

What are the two components of ethical leadership, as defined by Avolio and his associates?

1. The moral person: The moral person is seen as a principled decision maker who cares about people and the broader society. 2. The moral manager: they make ethics an explicit part of their leadership agenda by communicating an ethics and values message, by visibly and intentionally role modeling ethical behavior.

What are the four ethical dilemmas, as described by Rushworth Kidder?

1. Truth Vs. Loyalty: such as honestly answering a question when doing so could compromise a real or implied promise of confidentiality to others. 2. Individual Vs. Community: such as whether you should protect the confidentiality of someone's medical condition when the condition itself may pose threat to the larger community. 3. Short-term Vs. Long-term: such as how a parent chooses to balance spending time with children now as compared with investments in a career that may provide greater benefits for the family in the long run. 4. Justice Vs. mercy: such as deciding whether to excuse a person's misbehavior because of extenuating circumstances or a conviction that he or she has "learned a lesson."

What is the Leadership Virtues Questionnaire?

Developed by Riggio and his associates, it is an assessment instrument that should generate new ways of studying and deeper ways of understanding these ideas.

What is dual-process theory?

Dual-process theory is a theory of judgment wherein moral judgments dealing primarily with rights and duties are made by automatic emotional responses while moral judgments made on a more utilitarian basis are made more cognitively.

What are ethics?

Ethics are principles of right conduct or a system of moral values.

What is the dubious reputation approach to coworker integrity ratings?

In essence, this approach asks subordinates (presumably the most likely group to see a manager's "dark side") to speculate on th e likelihood that the manager would be likely to behave unethically, as distinguished from having directly observed such behavior.

What is upward leadership?

It has been used to refer to "leadership behavior enacted by individuals who take action to maintain ethical standards in the face of questionable moral behaviors by higher-ups.

What is an ethical dilemma?

It is a situation where someone is forced to choose between two solutions that both seem right.

Is it easier to stick to your values 100% of the time, or 98% of the time?

It is easier to stick to your values 100% of the time.

What is authentic leadership?

It is grounded in the principle found in the familiar adage "to thine own self be true." Authentic leaders exhibit a consistency between their values, their beliefs, and their actions.

What is principle-centered leadership?

It postulates a fundamental interdependence between the personal, the interpersonal, the managerial, and the organizational levels of leadership.

What is moral reasoning?

It refers to the process leaders use to make decisions about ethical and unethical behaviors. Values play a key role in the moral reasoning process because value differences among individuals often result in different judgments regarding ethical and unethical behavior. People interested in moral judgment are people who love to learn, seek new challenges, who enjoy plans and set goals, who take risks, and who take responsibility for themselves in the larger social context of history and institutions, and who take responsibility for themselves and their environs.

What are the ten characteristics of servant leadership?

Listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to others' growth, and building community.

What is moral justification?

Moral justification involves reinterpreting otherwise immoral behavior in terms of a higher purpose. This is most dramatically revealed in the behavior of combatants in war. Moral reconstruction of killing is dramatically illustrated when pacifist who are drafted are convinced that in the appropriate conditions, it is alright to fight and kill.

What is disregard or distortion of consequences?

People minimize the harm caused by their behavior. This can be a problem in bureaucracies when decision makers are relatively insulated by their position from directly observing the consequences of their decisions. AKA their position protects them from the consequences of their actions.

Zemke is another researcher who has looked at differences in values across generations and how those value differences affect their approached to work and leadership. Explain his delineation of four generations of workers.

The Veterans (1922-1943): Veterans came of age during the Great Depression and World War II, and they represent a wealth of lore and wisdom. They have been a stabilizing force in organizations for decades, even if they are prone to digressions about "the good old days." The Baby Boomers (1942-1960): These were the postwar babies who came of age during violent social protests, experimentation with new lifestyle, and pervasive questioning of establishment values. They bring participation, spirit, heart, and humanity to the workplace and office. The Gen Xers (1961-1981): Gen Xers grew up during the era of the Watergate scandal, the energy crisis, higher divorce rates, MTV, and corporate downsizing; many were latchkey kids. As a group, they tend to be technologically savvy, independent, and skeptical of institutions and hierarchy. Millennials (1982-2005) They doubt the wisdom of traditional racial and sexual categorizing. Millennials are seeking team-work, security, and work-life balance.

What is servant leadership?

The leader's role is literally to serve others.

Describe Theory X.

Theory X reflects a pessimistic view of others. Managers with this orientation rely heavily on coercive, external control methods to motivate workers, such as pay, disciplinary techniques, punishments, and threats. They assume people are not naturally industrious or motivated to work.

Describe Theory Y.

Theory Y reflects a view that most people are intrinsically motivated by their work. Rather than needing to be coaxed or coerced to work productively, such people value a sense of achievement, personal growth, pride in contributing to their organization, and respect for a job well done.

What are Rushworth Kidder's three basis principles for resolving ethical dilemmas?

They are the following: 1. Ends-based thinking--this is often characterized as "do what's best for the greatest number of people." It is also known as utilitarianism in philosophy, and it's premised on the idea that right and wrong are best determined by considering the consequences or results of an action. (critics say that no one can know all the possible consequences of an action). 2. Rule-based thinking: This can be characterized as "following the highest principle or duty." This is not determined by any projection of what the results of an act may be but rather by determining the kinds of standards everyone should uphold all the time, whatever the situation. AKA stick to the rules, no matter what--everyone gets treated the same. 3. Care-based thinking: this describes what many think of as the Golden Rule of conduct common in some form to many of the world's religions: "Do what you want others to do to you."

What are ethical climates?

They refer to thos ein which ethical standards and norms have been consistently, clearly, and pervasively communicated throughout the organization and embraced and enforced by organizational leaders in both word and example.

What are ethical climates?

They refer to those in which ethical standards and norms have been consistently, clearly, and pervasively communicated throughout the organization and embraced and enforced by organizational leaders in both word and example.

What is euphemistic labeling?

This involves using cosmetic words to defuse or disguise the offensiveness of otherwise morally repugnant or distasteful behavior. Terrorists, for example, may call themselves freedom fighters, and firing someone may be referred to as letting someone go.

What is dehumanization?

This is still another way of avoiding the moral consequences of one's behavior. It is easier to treat others badly when they are dehumanized, as evidenced in epithets like "gooks" or "Satan-worshippers."

What is displacement of responsibility?

This is where people may violate personal moral standards by attributing responsibility to others. Example given was Nazi concentration camp guards attempting to avoid responsibility for their behavior by saying they were merely carrying out orders. (MY OPINION--I don't think they are violating their moral standards by putting the blame on someone else, they already crossed that line long before)

What is attribution of blame?

This is where people try to justify immoral behavior by claiming it was caused by someone else's actions.

What is diffusion of responsibility?

This is where reprehensible behavior becomes easier to engage in and live with if others are behaving the same way. When everyone is responsible, it seems, no one is responsible.

What are values?

Values are "constructs representing generalized behaviors or states of affairs that are considered by the individual to be important."

What is advantageous comparison?

it lets one avoid self-contempt for one's behavior by comparing it to even more heinous behavior of others. "If you think we're insensitive to subordinates' needs, you should see what it's like working for ACME."