Should leaders be ethical? Do leaders have a responsibility to foster ethical behavior?

The obvious answer is, "Yes, but of course." Why then are there so many examples of leaders whose ethics are called into question? What has led to the explosion of lapses in ethical behavior by so many leaders?

There are several explanations. First, as Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton was right. The more powerful leaders are, the more likely they are to believe that they are above the law, no longer subject to the same rules as everyone else, and exempt from the constraints imposed on less important people.

Leaders can adopt a double standard, believing that this is justified because of their position. They are entitled to first class airline tickets, chauffeured limousines, generous expense accounts, exceptional pay and benefits. Preferential treatment is their right. When there are so many examples during their daily lives reinforcing the idea that they are special, better, preferred, it's not hard to see how they can conclude they are not subject to the same rules as the rest of the world.

Some leaders don't hear the truth. They are shielded and protected by the mechanism inherent in their position - when speaking to powerful people, most people are less candid, less forthright, less honest, and less direct than they would normally be. Fear affects what people say. Shading the truth to avoid the perceived negative consequences of telling it like it is becomes the norm.

As these leaders consistently and persistently hear only what others think they want to hear, it's not hard to imagine that they develop an unrealistic, skewed, and inaccurate understanding of themselves and their behavior.

There are others explanations, too. In recent years, business leaders have been expected to produce continuously improved financial results. The pressure to produce these results, sometimes with little or no concern as to how they are achieved, has led some leaders to do whatever is needed.

The means justify the ends. Shortcuts become accepted practices. As long as the financial targets are met, nothing else really matters. Or, at least that's what seems to have happened in some instances.

Fame and celebrity have become an increasingly pervasive part of our daily lives. Try ignoring the hype about Anna Nicole Simpson or American Idol. The media is filled with story after story of well-known people and there seems to be an insatiable appetite for more stories.

The cult of celebrity has extended to leaders, too. No longer is it enough for a leader to be merely effective, now they also have to be known. Fame and acclaim have become an integral part of many leaders' lives. They want to be at the right places and seen with the right people. They expect to be in the media - they want their faces recognized and their words repeated.

One more explanation. Earlier in our history, when we were less affluent, business focused more on what was good for society. As we have become a more prosperous society, business has expanded in order to provide more choice and more opportunities to purchase discretionary good and services. Consumption and choice have become an increasingly important factor in our society.

Leaders, like the rest of society, can become less interested in promoting the common good and more interested in personal choice and self-satisfaction. Expensive and excessive lifestyles and personal gratification become accepted practices. When personal satisfaction takes precedence over the common welfare, ethical constraints lessen.

The combination of these factors contributes to the lapses in ethical decision making by leaders. Is there anything that can be done? I'm not sure. I would like to think that as more and more leaders' ethical miscues become known, we might become more concerned about and committed to making ethical decisions, if for no other reason than to avoid bad press, or even jail time.

But, in the end, I think the only way for leaders to become more ethical is if society decides to make ethics a more important component of leaders' responsibilities, if we hold leaders to a high ethical standard, and if we let leaders know we expect them to do the right thing ethically. What can you do to make that happen? How can you help shift the focus so that making ethical decisions is part of what leaders are expected to do?

Earlier this month, I interviewed a colleague to ask about leadership development. His long answer detailed the ways that, when he had just graduated from college, his first employer made him feel special.

The company sought him out at college and recruited him as though he were a college football or basketball star; they included him in a cohort of high-potential recruits who were told that the future of the company depended upon their ability and success; they were provided training programs in all facets of the business; they were provided regular access to the senior managers via quarterly question-and-answer sessions; and, they were provided challenging assignments with high visibility and importance.

They were told they were special, capable of doing great things, and encouraged and supported extensively.

Sort of sounds like what your grandmother would do for you, doesn't it?

I recently attended my niece's graduation from Penn State. The commencement speaker talked about the future and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead for the new graduates. The energy, hope, and bright-eyed optimism of the new grads were evident as they met their families after the ceremony to celebrate.

What happens in organizations that, when new graduates come on board, it only takes awhile before their eager enthusiasm and boundless optimism are curtailed and trodden on by the routine and drudgery of their daily work?

Does assimilation into the workforce necessarily entail a loss of idealism and hope resulting from the nature of the work and the work environment or have organizations missed a valuable opportunity to nurture and develop new graduate to ensure their continued commitment and willing engagement.

What do you think?

email: archie@archietinelli.com archie@archietinelli.com