The answer to this question probably depends on who you ask, when. Many Americans felt the moral indescretions of some past presidents didn't affect their ability to govern the U.S. A majority of the U.S. Congress apparently feels it is permissable to make certain obvious errors on personal tax returns since they've confirmed appointments to public office that have not filed past returns correctly. Stockholders of some large companies that have incurred significant losses must feel that huge bonuses to management personnel are acceptable since these individuals are allowed to remain in office. Some church members seem to tolerate sexual and other indescretions in their leaders since some are still leading congregations. Certain talk show hosts and motivational leaders adopt their own doctrines and philosophies which are supported by large numbers of followers even though there is no authoritative support for their opinion.
So... is it really OK to be less than 100% ethcial? Is it appropriate to justify our innappropriate behavior because others do it? Is it right to blame others for causing our indescretions? Is it right to set up our own standards of behavior as a doctrine which we expect or encourage others to live by? Are some indescretions, mistakes, or illegal behaviors unimportant?
If you ask this author, my answer to all these questions is absolutely not! If we are to conduct our lives with high integrity, we must have some common standard for behavior. Most people believe their standards are the right ones. This wouldn't be a problem if everyone believed as we do. The problems arise when we differ with others. Criminals' standards are different from most law-abiding citizens, for example. For most of us, it's not acceptable to steal, rape, molest, or murder. For some criminals, it is acceptable. Situational or behaviorial ethics of man must have a common foundation to provide accountability for inappropriate behaviors.
Only God's standards in the Holy Bible can provide a common standard for accountability. Any other standard is relavent to a lesser authority. Before I'm accused of being a self-righteous Bible thumper, let me be the first to say I am not perfect. I make mistakes, even commit sin as defined by the Holy Bible. My heart desire is to have high integrity in all areas of my life and I make a conscious effort to live that way. When I become aware of my failures, I attempt to take responsibility for my part, make amends with others and, when necessary, make restitution. Most of all, I ask my God for forgiveness for my actions or words and for His help to live according to His Way in the future.
What do you think? Should we accept or tolerate inappropriate behaviors of politicians, corporate management and church leaders? Can we justify acting in ways that seem right only in our eyes? Is it OK to be a little unethical because "everyone does it?" Post your comment!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
QUALIFICATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP
In Miles Monroe's book, Becoming a Leader, he makes this statement in chapter 8:
"The quality of your character is the measure of your leadership effectiveness. Effective leadership is essentially built on the foundation of inspiration that breeds confidence in one's character. In its truest form it is the perfect balance of competence, vision and virtue. Competence or knowledge without vision breeds technocrats. Virtue without vision and knowledge breeds ideologies. Vision without virtue and knowledge, breeds demagogue. True leadership cannot be divorced from the basic qualities that produce good sound character. It involves the total person and therefore cannot be relegated to a professional compartment of our lives."
In the next few blogs, we'll focus on the character necessary for effective leadership in politics, management and in our personal lives. Effective leaders must demonstrate they are worthy of the trust of followers. Followers will react negatively or positively to a leader based on a number of factors but, most importantly, they will react based on whether they think they can trust the leader's character. Further, a follower's personal belief system will influence his/her decision to trust a leader. In other words, the more a follower believes, thinks and acts like a leader, the more they are likely to trust him or her.
In previous blogs, I've discussed the effects of our past experiences and heart wounds on our behavior and on our integrity. In the same way our personal behavior and integrity have been shaped by our past experiences, so is our evaluation of a leader's character. For example, if we have strong administrative abilities, we usually like and trust a leader that is administratively strong. If we like to be merciful and gracious to others, we like a leader that is the same. If we believe that most people are honest and good, then we'll likely trust a leader based on what he or she says. If our life experiences make it difficult to trust, we'll usually look beyond the leader's words before we extend our trust. And so on.
From recent political history we can see some cases on point. After the sexual indiscretions of a U.S. president were made public, many people commented that these events didn't affect his ability to run our country. Numerous politicians have been found guilty of violations of law, lately the tax law, and still appointed or elected to their offices without any public outcry. An eloquent public speaker such as our current president seems to be trusted based on his words, even though the many of the laws and actions being enacted have been tried and failed in this country and others. Some believe many people trust and follow a leader based on his promises in the hope they will be true. This brings us back to the opening words by Miles Monroe expressed this way, effective leadership is the perfect balance of competence, vision and virtue.
Retiring after several terms served, a U.S. senator stated that he could no longer be part of a system that required compromise of one's integrity and values to succeed. On the other hand, some people believe that some influence of a person's character (a senator in this case), even if compromised by the system of government, is better than no influence in their absence.
What do you think? Does a person's character, their integrity and honesty, influence their work and personal lives? What do you believe? What is the foundation of your belief system?
"The quality of your character is the measure of your leadership effectiveness. Effective leadership is essentially built on the foundation of inspiration that breeds confidence in one's character. In its truest form it is the perfect balance of competence, vision and virtue. Competence or knowledge without vision breeds technocrats. Virtue without vision and knowledge breeds ideologies. Vision without virtue and knowledge, breeds demagogue. True leadership cannot be divorced from the basic qualities that produce good sound character. It involves the total person and therefore cannot be relegated to a professional compartment of our lives."
In the next few blogs, we'll focus on the character necessary for effective leadership in politics, management and in our personal lives. Effective leaders must demonstrate they are worthy of the trust of followers. Followers will react negatively or positively to a leader based on a number of factors but, most importantly, they will react based on whether they think they can trust the leader's character. Further, a follower's personal belief system will influence his/her decision to trust a leader. In other words, the more a follower believes, thinks and acts like a leader, the more they are likely to trust him or her.
In previous blogs, I've discussed the effects of our past experiences and heart wounds on our behavior and on our integrity. In the same way our personal behavior and integrity have been shaped by our past experiences, so is our evaluation of a leader's character. For example, if we have strong administrative abilities, we usually like and trust a leader that is administratively strong. If we like to be merciful and gracious to others, we like a leader that is the same. If we believe that most people are honest and good, then we'll likely trust a leader based on what he or she says. If our life experiences make it difficult to trust, we'll usually look beyond the leader's words before we extend our trust. And so on.
From recent political history we can see some cases on point. After the sexual indiscretions of a U.S. president were made public, many people commented that these events didn't affect his ability to run our country. Numerous politicians have been found guilty of violations of law, lately the tax law, and still appointed or elected to their offices without any public outcry. An eloquent public speaker such as our current president seems to be trusted based on his words, even though the many of the laws and actions being enacted have been tried and failed in this country and others. Some believe many people trust and follow a leader based on his promises in the hope they will be true. This brings us back to the opening words by Miles Monroe expressed this way, effective leadership is the perfect balance of competence, vision and virtue.
Retiring after several terms served, a U.S. senator stated that he could no longer be part of a system that required compromise of one's integrity and values to succeed. On the other hand, some people believe that some influence of a person's character (a senator in this case), even if compromised by the system of government, is better than no influence in their absence.
What do you think? Does a person's character, their integrity and honesty, influence their work and personal lives? What do you believe? What is the foundation of your belief system?
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