Sessie 10: (Un)ethical
leadership, voice, and the
psychology of power
Ethical leadership: A review and future directions (Brown)
Our literature review focuses on the emerging construct of ethical leadership and compares
this construct with related concepts that share a common concern for a moral dimension of
leadership.
We conducted a comprehensive review of the relevant social scientific literatures that have
linked ethics and leadership in order to clarify current understanding and point the way for
future research.
Ethical leadership is defined as “the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct
through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct
to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making”.
WHAT IS ETHICAL LEADERSHIP?
The emerging research suggests that ethical leaders are characterized as honest,
caring, and principled individuals who make fair and balanced decisions.
Ethical leaders also frequently communicate with their followers about ethics, set
clear ethical standards and use rewards and punishments to see that those standards
are followed.
Finally, ethical leaders do not just talk a good game— they practice what they preach
and are proactive role models for ethical conduct.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
Social learning theory sheds light on why some individual characteristics of the leader and
situational influences are related to followers' perceptions of a leader as an ethical leader.
1
, According to social learning theory, for leaders to be seen as ethical leaders by their
followers, they must be attractive and credible role models.
Social learning theory (Bandura, 1977, 1986) is based on the idea that individuals
learn by paying attention to and emulating the attitudes, values and behaviors of
attractive and credible models.
Ethical leaders are likely sources of guidance because their attractiveness and
credibility as role models draw attention to their modeled behavior.
o Power and status
Ethical leaders are credible because they are trustworthy and practice what they
preach.
reinforcement plays an important role in modeling effectiveness because observers
pay close attention to those who control important resources and to rewards and
punishments.
Finally, social learning theory assumes that much learning occurs vicariously.
TRANSFORMATIONAL, SPIRITUAL, AND AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP
Transformational leadership:
Ethical leadership as defined here includes a transactional influence process that
distinguishes it from transformational leadership. In addition, the ethical leadership
construct does not include references to visionary or intellectually stimulating
leadership, terms that are consistent with the transformational/charismatic leadership
style.
Authentic leadership:
Authentic leaders are “individuals who are deeply aware of how they think and
behave and are perceived by others as being aware of their own and others'
values/moral perspective, knowledge, and strengths; aware of the context in which
they operate; and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and high on moral
character”.
Like transformational leadership, authentic leadership appears to overlap with ethical
leadership particularly in terms of individual characteristics. Both authentic and ethical
leaders share a social motivation and a consideration leadership style. Both are
ethically principled leaders who consider the ethical consequences of their decisions.
2
leadership, voice, and the
psychology of power
Ethical leadership: A review and future directions (Brown)
Our literature review focuses on the emerging construct of ethical leadership and compares
this construct with related concepts that share a common concern for a moral dimension of
leadership.
We conducted a comprehensive review of the relevant social scientific literatures that have
linked ethics and leadership in order to clarify current understanding and point the way for
future research.
Ethical leadership is defined as “the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct
through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct
to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making”.
WHAT IS ETHICAL LEADERSHIP?
The emerging research suggests that ethical leaders are characterized as honest,
caring, and principled individuals who make fair and balanced decisions.
Ethical leaders also frequently communicate with their followers about ethics, set
clear ethical standards and use rewards and punishments to see that those standards
are followed.
Finally, ethical leaders do not just talk a good game— they practice what they preach
and are proactive role models for ethical conduct.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
Social learning theory sheds light on why some individual characteristics of the leader and
situational influences are related to followers' perceptions of a leader as an ethical leader.
1
, According to social learning theory, for leaders to be seen as ethical leaders by their
followers, they must be attractive and credible role models.
Social learning theory (Bandura, 1977, 1986) is based on the idea that individuals
learn by paying attention to and emulating the attitudes, values and behaviors of
attractive and credible models.
Ethical leaders are likely sources of guidance because their attractiveness and
credibility as role models draw attention to their modeled behavior.
o Power and status
Ethical leaders are credible because they are trustworthy and practice what they
preach.
reinforcement plays an important role in modeling effectiveness because observers
pay close attention to those who control important resources and to rewards and
punishments.
Finally, social learning theory assumes that much learning occurs vicariously.
TRANSFORMATIONAL, SPIRITUAL, AND AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP
Transformational leadership:
Ethical leadership as defined here includes a transactional influence process that
distinguishes it from transformational leadership. In addition, the ethical leadership
construct does not include references to visionary or intellectually stimulating
leadership, terms that are consistent with the transformational/charismatic leadership
style.
Authentic leadership:
Authentic leaders are “individuals who are deeply aware of how they think and
behave and are perceived by others as being aware of their own and others'
values/moral perspective, knowledge, and strengths; aware of the context in which
they operate; and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and high on moral
character”.
Like transformational leadership, authentic leadership appears to overlap with ethical
leadership particularly in terms of individual characteristics. Both authentic and ethical
leaders share a social motivation and a consideration leadership style. Both are
ethically principled leaders who consider the ethical consequences of their decisions.
2
