Ethical Leadership vs. Unethical Leadership Management Essay

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Ethical and unethical leadership
An ethical leader always strives to do what is the right. It is impossible to exactly describe “right” but such leaders are not scared to undertake decisions even if they are unprofitable (Buckingham, p 22). Therefore, an ethical leader is just and has no favorites because he/she exercises equality. In this regard, no employee can be fearful of unfair treatment based on religion, gender, or color (Hunter, p 319). It is also natural that an ethical leader is a person who is honest. Honesty is important because majority of employees trust and depend on their leaders. Above all these traits is respect, which must be accorded to all employees. An ethical leader shows respect by listening and being compassionate while also considering opposing views (Chughtai, p 655). In contrast, an unethical leader is unjust/unfair, dishonest, and disrespectful.
Ethical leader (George Washington)
Although no one can currently claim that he/she saw George Washington, Americans will forever be grateful for his wisdom. Born in 1972, Washington was homeschooled and later became the first president of the United States. Among the many traits Washington was known for was his honesty. During the Constitution Convention of 1787, those who were for and against strengthening the federal government engaged in a heated debate. Regardless of the circumstances, Washington was honest enough to admit that he preferred a strong federal government led by a single executive leader (Duling, p 45). However, during the discussions, he displayed justice by not allowing his bias to sway the delegates. According to Cunliffe (p 12), Washington sat quietly and only participated when a deciding vote was required. During his presidency, Washington intentionally selected Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of State and Secretary of Treasury. These are two men who hated each other and bitterly disagreed on everything (Ferling, p 52). However, Washington respected and listened to both of them before making decisions. As president, Washington had many followers and his ethical behavior at the time of independence benefited them. Even today, Americans thank him for successfully moderating a convention...