Ethical and Moral Leadership

 "People don't want to report on the table; they want a seat at the table."  (Johnson 24)  The question becomes then, which table? For some, this question is easier to answer than others.  Personally, I find it simple; but I am usually wrong.  I say this because "loyalties" in corporate America tend to lie in the "bottom dollar" and whatever goal(s) it takes to get one there, with maximum efficiency.  As a human resources professional, though, my loyalties lie with the person, or people, who make up my workforce.  I always say, if you have no people, you have no bottom dollar.  But primarily, people look upward instead of around.   For two years I have worked for a company undergoing a massive merger, and in that merger, I have had five different bosses assigned to me.  Some have had opinions on loyalty, and some have not.  My most recent manager has said quite specifically, that my loyalties are to the HR department.  A s...

 Week One:  Having worked in positions that constantly strive toward the penultimate code of conduct in their respective industries, I have seen ethics applied well, and standards fall short, impacting business livelihood, customer / employee morale, and the bottom dollar.  What is it about commercialism or industry that makes us believe we are able to foresee enough elements in every situation to blanketly apply one standard to all situations, and maintain the expectation that it will always work?   In this blog, along with guidance from a graduate ethics course and professional developers, I will be commenting largely on the work "Meeting the Challenges of Leadership: Casting Light or Shadow" by C. E. Johnson, as well as other components drawn into the coursework.   Currently, I hold a relatively strong conviction that ethics and morality are different.  One is inherent, and one is man-made.  One is always directed by the best of intentions...