Characteristics Of Leaders: Role Modeling, Strictness And Openness

Ethical Issues Name Institution Date Ethical Issues As organizations try to maintain integrity, concepts like corruption, ethics, and integrity have been contested as scholars focus on understanding how certain characteristics can influence the extent of integrity violation within many organizations, and also review the types of leadership that contributes to an organization's integrity. Huberts, Kaptein, & Lasthuizen, (2007) article, A study of the impact of three leadership styles of integrity violations committed by police officers, examine leadership characteristics that can enhance an organization's integrity. The article reviews three major characteristics of leaders, namely role modeling, strictness and openness in a survey conducted among police officers in The Netherlands. Specific officers were asked about their perception of the extent of integrity problem at work and their perception of organizational leadership. The survey presented evidence showing the relationship between organization integrity and leadership characteristics. Scholars believe that leadership is a key element that influences ethics and integrity of employees, the article clearly reviewed three leadership features of role modeling through example, strictness to handle misbehavior of employee and openness to discuss dilemma which were all relevant when defining integrity (Huberts, Kaptein & Lasthuizen, 2007). I agree that these three elements are important because the leaders' behavior reflects the norm of the whole organization. The organization’s top leadership is expected to foster the organization's value; therefore, regulations that promote integrity are passed down to employees by their leaders (Sarver & Miller, 2014). Managers also tackle employee behavior and sanction unethical behavior. Openness in the organization is important because it what enhances productivity. Discussing openly issues related to ethics and integrity stimulates employees to ethical behavior, therefore openness important because it's a characteristic that creates a climate in which employees can be open about mistake, ask for help when facing ethical problems or feel at ease to discuss any ethical dilemmas (Campbell, & Kodz, 2011). The article analyzes leadership from a more general perspective, however, the authors relate certain leadership characteristic to the specific forms of integrity violations, these includes 1 Corruption, i.e. the abuse of office for private gain 2 Fraud and theft of resources 3 Conflicts of (private and public) interest as a result of giving or receiving gifts 4 Conflicts of interest as a result of jobs and activities outside the organization 5 Gratuitous violence against citizens and suspects; 6 Other improper (investigative) methods of policing 7 Abuse and manipulation of information 8 Ill-treatment (discrimination and sexual harassment) of colleagues or citizens; 9 Wastage and abuse of organizational resources 10 Private time misconduct (Huberts, Kaptein & Lasthuizen, 2007). The sample size used in administering integrity thermometer which is a written questionnaire was appropriate with 76 percent male and 24 percent female between 18 to 60 years. The study revealed insightful information indicat...