The importance of credibility, vision and relationships

Brown, Espinoza, StrawserCOMML 511

Gonzaga

Ethical Leadership

Meet The TeamName: Tito Espinoza

Occupation: Business Consultant

Company: Verizon Wireless

Aspirations: To write a book and to record a CD of musical compositions.

Marital Status: Happily married

Philosophy of life: “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you” – Jesus Christ

Meet The Team

Name: Michael Strawser

Occupation: Student

Aspirations: PhD Intercultural Communication and eventually teach

Marital Status: Engaged

Philosophy of life: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Preview of Points Ethical Leadership

Introduction

Credibility

Vision

Relationships

Conclusion

ReferencesPlease follow along the presentation with the participants guide

Ethical Leadership• Ethical decision-making necessary for organizations to reach

optimal potential.

• Ethical Leaders seek to:– Maintain trust and credibility– Influence without hostility– Create a sense of community(Kouzes & Posner, 2003)

Today’s Most Admired Organizations display high levels of credibility, vision and relationships, both internally and externally

Credibility

Doing what we say

Credibility- Knowing who you are

• Credibility arises out of the leaders identity

• A leader must clarify values to posses genuine identity- What do I stand for?- What is important to me?

• A leader must understand self first before attempting to understand others

“good ‘leadership’ cannot be reduced to technique; good ‘leadership’ comes from the identity and integrity of the leader” (p.10)

-Parker J. Palmer

Credibility – Questions for reflection

1. List your top 5 priorities in life

2. Do you feel any of your values need rearranging?

3. What is your goal in life?

4. If your house was burning down chose the 2 things you would take with you.-What are they?-Why those things?

Please complete questions in your participants guide

Credibility- Its all about trust• What do you value most in a

leader?1. Honesty2. Vision3. Competence4. Inspiring(Kouzes & Posner in a study to over 75K employees around the world).• Trust is something you earn with

hard work, and lose in an instant.

“Credibility is mostly about consistency between words and deeds. People listen to the words and look at the deeds”(p.47).

-Kouzes & Posner

Credibility- Doing what we say• Do you consider yourself

trustworthy?

• Do you believe other perceive you as trust worthy?

• Do you follow though on your commitments?

• What would make you a more credible leader?

Please complete questions in your participants guide

Vision

Creating the way

Creating a Vision

http://becausegrowthmatters.com

Envision the Future

Imag

ine

the

Poss

ibili

ties

Find a Common Purpose

Developing a Vision

Enlist Others

Envision the Future

• Be Forward-Looking• Develop an ideal • Create a picture of the future • Keep the common good in mind

• Reflect on your past• Attend to the present• Prospect the future• Feel your passion

Imagine the Possibilities

Find a Common Purpose

• Listen deeply

• Determine the values of others

• Make a “cause” for commitment

• Be forward-looking in times of rapid change

http://wssmith.edublogs.org

Developing a Vision

• Determine what you will do next• Picture what you will do next• Survey your constituents about their

aspirations– Appeal to common ideals

• Connect to what is meaningful to others• Take pride in being unique• Align your dream with that of the people

Vision- Looking toward the future1) When you think of establishing a vision what comes to mind?

2) How would you implement a new vision and direction in your workplace?

3) Name three characteristics you have seen in forward thinking leaders that you admire?

4) What does it mean to be forward-thinking?

http://i184.photobucket.com

Please complete questions in your participants guide

Relationships

Together is better

Relationships

• Ethical leaders strive to create a cooperative, productive, and moral community in the workplace.

Relationships – Questions for Reflection• As an ethical leader, why is it important to

build relationships within the organization?

• How can you accomplish this?

• What barriers may make building relationships difficult in the workplace, and how can this be overcome?

Please complete questions in your participants guide

Relationships- Potential Barriers

• Diverse and competing:– Obligations– Values– Ethics– Culture– Gender(Kouzes & Posner, 1993, p. 89)

Relationships – Building Bridges

Unconditionally Constructive Strategy• Balance emotion with reason• Understand other’s perspectives• Inquire, consult, and listen• Be reliable• Be open to persuasion• Accept others as worthy and worth learning from.• Advocate Cooperation• Build consensus between organization members

(Kouzes & Posner, 1993, p. 130-131)

“Enlightened communication enables [organization] members to establish positive bonds and make wise ethical choices… and includes comprehensive, critical listening,

supportive communication, productive conflict management, and argumentation” (p.223).-Johnson

Conclusion

Credibility, vision, and relationshipsIngredients for success!

ConclusionCustomers and clients reward organizations who prize:1) Integrity, 2) innovative solutions, 3) and treat

employees, stakeholders, partners, and customers with dignity and respect

-Modern organizations face more complex challenges

-The need for ethical leadership is urgent today

Ethical leadership is composed of:

• Credibility- Doing what we say

• Vision- define reality and create the future

• Relationships – believe ins the power of “we” vs. “I”

References

Johnson, C. E. (2007). Ethics in the workplace: Tools and tactics for organizational transformation. Sage Publications: London.

Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (1993). Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.

Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2002). The Leadership Challenge. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.

Palmer, J., P. (1998) The Courage To Teach. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.