Transcript unit8

OS 230 Organizational Ethics
Week 8
Our Last Class
The Closer
• Season 7 episode 11, Necessary Evil
• Two Views –
– Coach Carr was wrong – as good as his intentions
are, his actions were illegal
– Coach Carr was right – The challenges at work forced
him to look for unorthodox solutions and for going
above and beyond, he will probably lose his job.
• “Maybe it’s time for him to move on.” “I don’t
know,” says Brenda, “He seemed to be doing
important work.”
• Watch for the parallel scenario(s) with Brenda
OS230, Week 8
Trust and Charisma in the Leader Follower Relationship
CHARASMATIC LEADERS:
Ethical vs Unethical
The Charismatic Leader type:
According to prevailing theories, followers believe the
charismatic leader as one or more of the following:
• Omnipotent (parent archetype); will nurture and guide.
• Mystical (knows "higher truths"); knows the way and the
answers.
• Heroic (perhaps from past achievements); can move
mountains.
• Value-driven (concerned with the collective and able to
empower it); pure in spirit.
Excerpted from The ethics of charismatic leadership by Jane M. Howell and Bruce J. Avolio, Academy of Management
Executives, 1992, Vol. 6 No.2; and The Charismatic Leader as Narcissist by Daniel Sankowsky, Organizational
Dynamics, Spring 1995, Vol. 23, No. 4
The Dark Side of Charismatic Leadership
1. Leaders become addicted to charisma
– “absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
2. Organizations can become addicted to the charismatic
leader
– In extreme cases - A cult.
3. Charisma grows for its own sake and forgets its
purpose
– Charisma is a capability, not the mission or reason the company
exists.
Brian Evje, 3 Dangers of Charismatic Leadership, Inc. Apr 25, 2012, http://www.inc.com/brian-evje/three-dangers-of-charismaticleadership.html
History has great examples of charismatic leaders who
used extraordinary influence on the public.
One of the better examples – MLK:
“…Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the
difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream
deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this
nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”, -Martin
Luther King Jr., 1963.
The Six Key Factors for developing the ethical
charismatic in the organization:
 Top management is committed to a clearly stated code of ethical conduct
that is continually enforced helps establish acceptable standards or boundaries
for employee conduct (Hegarty & Sims. Jr., 1979).
 They recruit, select and promote managers with high moral standards
To set a culture of high ethical standards
 They developing performance standards and rewards that emphasize respect for people
 They train leaders on how to integrate a diverse point of view. Seeing the interrelationships among new
perspectives and old, lies at the source of moral development (Trevino, 1986).
 They train individuals with the necessary personality characteristics, social skills, and motivation to acquire ethical
charismatic leader behaviors (Howell & Frost, 1990).
 They identify and honor heroes or heroines who exemplify high moral conduct as essential to the long term
success of the organization (Kahn, 1990). These are the role models to influence others.
Conclusion: Now you know
•
Look for the characteristics of Ethical charismatic
leaders
•
Recognize the Unethical charismatics for what they
are
Live your life with courage, justice and integrity