The article seeks to understand the role of ethics in leadership and the need for business leaders to have a code of conduct based on integrity.
Asked Alice, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where," said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.
It matters very much which way a business leader decides to go when found standing at crossroads. A wrong turn and an incorrect decision could spell organization implosion. That is why it matters very much that he or she is directed by an internal compass, ethically pointed to a decision that is correct and beneficial to business in the long run. For a person at the helm of affairs in a company, it is about doing what is right and what is in the larger interests of the employees, shareholders, customers and the organization as a whole. It is not enough for a business leader to be successful. In this era of competition, globalization, increased scrutiny by the media, people and government, the demand is that business leaders and CEOs be like Caesar's wife - above suspicion.
Society has always demanded from its leaders in all spheres, be it social, political or economic, that they be larger than life. They not only have to be high performers but also adhere to high ideals. The halo of leadership, apart from success, is always lit by crystal clear reputation and higher moral ground. It is only when we see our leaders as infallible, that they are awe-inspiring. The intricacies of business however make it more complicated to be infallible. Nobody starts a business to be a saint exemplar, but drawing that fine line between what is good for the company in terms of profit and what is morally correct is just about the beginning of the ethical tightrope that business leaders find themselves walking on. It is while walking this tightrope that a person's values, the cultural mind-set he or she has imbibed towards authority figures and the principles that have shaped his or her attitude to money and life, come into play during decision making. |
