How can you identify leaders with a sense of a moral compass?

You are here:

Home
Ethical Leadership
How can you identify leaders with a sense of a moral compass?

August 8, 2013 By fbucaro

When we read a newspaper, watch the TV, there isn’t a day that goes by that there isn’t a report of some leader, in some organization, who is charged with fraud, cheating, lying, etc. Why is that?

For me, it’s rather simple. If leaders don’t have a developed moral compass, nothing else really counts. Everything about a business needs to be based on values, which provide a “direction” as to not only how one does business, but why!

Leaders need to embrace as the basis of their moral compass:

1. That everything happens for a reason and it serves us.

· There are an infinite number of ways to react to any situation and being values based needs to be the priority for discerning the appropriate decision.

2. Whatever happens, take responsibility!

· Taking responsibility is one of the best measures of a leader’s power and maturity.

· By retaining responsibility, the leader retains the power to change the result he/she produces.

3. People are a your greatest resource.

· This is no long lasting success without rapport among employees.

· Leaders who produce results, have a tremendous sense of respect and appreciation for people.

· Organizations that succeed have leaders that treat people with respect and dignity and see their employees as partners.

So how do you get leaders to “buy into” these concepts? You don’t! Either they believe and embrace them or they don’t. The next question is : What type of “screening” is needed to make sure that a potential leader has a developed moral compass?

These three simple points, if actually acted upon, can provide the “destination” that one’s moral compass can “set sail” towards that will build an environment of trust, honesty, transparency, and respect for all.

About the author

fbucaro

Like you, business ethics and ethical leadership expert, Frank Bucaro has seen the challenges and problems of corporate leadership, particularly over the past few years in regards to poor decision-making, SEC violations, and record breaking financial settlements in a number of different industries. With over two decades of executive training, speaking, writing and with real life experiences, his view and approach to ethics in the workplace is uniquely different. He emphasizes that ethics is a moment-to-moment choice and has little to do with position, titles, personalities or education. Ethics is everybody’s responsibility from the top down. His goal is to help organizations to: a. Strengthen their ethics training initiatives in order to significantly decrease the odds of an ethical/compliance violation. b. Energize, train and motivate employees to understand the value of consistent “high road” behavior as a business advantage. c. Support individuals and thereby the organization by contributing to its success by quality, ongoing values based leadership development. Frank is known for his very practical, slightly irreverent, yet somewhat humorous approach to ethics and leadership development. His conversational style and real life stories connect with his audience in a personal, intense and practical level. Companies such as Bayer Healthcare, BP, ReMax International, EnMax Energy, Danone, etc. have partnered with Frank when they want to proactively stress the message, tools, insights and practical applications that good ethics IS good for business!

Why your Organization may need an Ethics Consultant.
July 11, 2017

Coach or Consultant: How do decide which you need?
June 6, 2017

Are these your ethical issues?
June 2, 2017

Lip service to ethics education is no education!
May 30, 2017

How can you improve your ethics training in 2017?
April 4, 2017

Having a right and doing what’s right are not the same, right?
March 13, 2017