Meeting the Ethical Challenges of Leadership

Meeting the Ethical Challenges of Leadership

LDR352-M310

Yolonda Ward

October 16, 2010

1. What advice would you give a new leader about the use and abuse of power?

Power for a leader gives them the ability to have control and influence over their subordinates. A good leader will use this position to make followers feel motivated, empowered, and wanting to perform at high standards. In order to be a high-quality leader it is important not use your position for control and selfishness. Leaders who use their power negatively will act in a way which is coercive. When coercive power is utilized, employees are abused. When abuse comes into play there will be a decrease in productivity and high stress in the workplace.

As a leader you choose the type of leadership you want to impose on your subordinates. Remember the days of being a subordinate and focus on the qualities you needed from a leader. Do not be unproductive and do as other leaders have done, or are doing because they are wrapped up in their titles. Engage your followers. In order to get them to work to their peak abilities you have to treat them with respect. Give to them what they need to do their jobs. Listen to their needs and do not focus on your own personal interest. It is about a team. Followers look to their leaders as their roles models and mimic their behaviors (Johnson, 2009, p. 266).

When confronted with temptations like making your subordinates do your job, pointing the blame to others, deceit, and deification, ask yourself how you would like to be on the receiving end of it all. If you can truly say that feeling unappreciated, inferior, blamed, and harrased feels good, then proceed with your actions. All employees deserve equal opportunities. Create and environment for training and make sure you don’t discriminate. Women, minorities, and special needs employees should never be singled out as weaker links (Johnson, 2009, p. 270).

Destructive behavior is unfortunately quite...