It’s no secret that the pandemic had an impact on businesses. We might not even be ready to fully talk about it, since some of the impact was overwhelmingly not good. But, on the flipside, what have you noticed that has been a positive take away from those 2020 days? We’re noticing a shift in the way people in leadership positions are working with their most valuable assets: their people. Do you see it too?
Have you heard of the term ethical leadership? Let’s discuss it as a concept. Now, the assumption would be that anyone in a position of leadership would possess ethics and a passion for what is right. An internal compass that puts people over profits, if you will. But sadly, this hasn’t always been the case. An aftereffect of the pandemic is certainly a shift in the way people are able to show up for work. This includes remote work, assistance with childcare, and truly flexible hours. Implementing these tactics is a really positive unexpected result of something so disruptful, like the pandemic. Leaders who are proving to be successful in this day and age are living and demonstrating their commitment to their greatest assets, their people, by implementing practices that put people first over outdated workplace standards.
An ethical leader often taps into the power of being authentic. They are armed with an intrinsic motivation to help their teams achieve their goals in ways that make sense to them as individuals. These leaders set a positive example for employees at all levels. By weaving a culture with the threads of fairness, honesty, respect, transparency, and accountability, ethical leaders infuse a strong sense of community within the organization they serve.
Hiring, training, and retaining talent is an expensive and time-consuming affair. By boosting the job satisfaction of employees, ethically led companies even benefit financially from happy teams. Ethical leadership also creates a positive impact on hiring and retaining employees. People naturally gravitate more towards companies that share their values. When a company has the power to attract highly skilled employees, it enjoys higher chances of succeeding. Leaders must strive to create a workplace culture that values respect, honesty, transparency, and accountability. This type of culture builds trust among everyone in the workplace, creates a strong sense of community, and ensures every decision is taken with ethics in mind. Ethical leadership is far bigger than quarterly in-office pizza parties. It’s the opposite, actually.
Ethical leaders can help establish a positive environment with productive relationships over three levels: the individual, the team and the overall organization. Nurturing the relationships at each of these levels can lead to positive outcomes and benefits for ethical leaders. At MadCap Marketing and Creative, we strive to lead by example. We forge deep connections with each other and with our larger community. By being an ethically led company, we believe we play a small part in helping the world shift towards, or return to, putting people first.