Ethical leadership in tough times

Original article from RSA. In business as in government, it is an interesting time to be a leader. Times are indeed tough. Those in work are supposed to feel lucky just to have a job, no matter how demanding or unsatisfying it is, or how much more ‘productive’ they are being asked to be. Management gets ‘de-layered’ (cut), targets get set at ever more demanding levels, and the penalties for failure can be harsh. Within this unsentimental, ‘measure everything that moves’ climate, we also seem to expect our leaders to be creative, sensitive and ethical. And woe betides them if they commit the tiniest sin: while some of our MPs proved themselves dishonest, witness the outcry over even the pettiest expenses transgression.

There are other huge challenges to leaders that lie underneath the more obvious performance imperatives. Some of these challenges are moral paradoxes. Leaders are expected to manage many tensions. They are expected to drive performance ever harder whilst creating nurturing and empowering environments. We expect them to show emotional intelligence whilst feeling harassed and even bullied by their own bosses and organisations. The good leader needs to espouse work/life balance and engage in developing the well being of their staff while being expected to be on constant duty-call themselves. They must develop ethical organisational practices at the same time as fighting for survival in a highly competitive environment. And of course, they must remain calm, confident and driven whilst being subject to disruptive change themselves.