Leadership comes from experience, training, practice, observation, and, if you are fortunate, a good mentor. Webster’s dictionary describes ethics as: “an area of study that deals with ideas about what is good and bad behavior.” Most of us have experienced a variety of directors who demonstrated a style of leadership we admired and respected and others a style that, in our opinion, did not portray admirable qualities.
What do you do when you have entered a position under a director but only respect the title the director has achieved and not the individual? A good manager/director should always lead by example with a focus on fairness, equality, good ethics, and rational judgment. If the leader does not demonstrate most of the aforementioned characteristics, there are a few choices you need to make. Should you report the unethical behavior or lack of leadership skills to the Human Resources department or should you focus on your own goals and production? Part of your decision may depend upon whether you want immediate change or you are working for a long-term position within the current organization/corporation.
Learning from All Leaders—Good and Bad
A quick decision on your part is often not the right choice. Such a decision often is based upon emotion and may backfire on you. I recommend weighing all of the aspects of your long-term career goals and how this will benefit you. A poor leader, from my experience, also educates me on the judgments I make in the future when I am leading or mentoring staff members. If we only have great leaders, how do we compare from an ethical perspective? It is wise to learn from all leaders—whether good or bad—and look for methods you want to embrace that will strengthen your own value as a director as you move up the ladder of success.
To quote Stephen Covey: “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” Make the decision that works best for you personally. Reporting the unethical management decisions performed by the director to the Human Resources department or upper management may not help your situation. However, at the time, it may be the right path to take and could generate more discussion in upper management. The behavior may be recurring and could have been aired by other associates. The choice is a tough one and depends upon the specific behavior performed by the director who is displaying poor judgment below ethical standards. Examples of this may be alcohol or drug abuse, harassment, physical abuse, or other major infractions. In these instances, it is my recommendation to report the circumstance immediately.
Each associate joins the organization/corporation with various concepts of good and bad behavior in the office environment. Therefore, the unethical management behavior is judged from a plethora of backgrounds employees bring to the table. You may judge a behavior as appalling, while your fellow associate may turn a blind eye it. Keep this in mind when considering contacting upper management or Human Resources. Educate yourself on what acceptable behavior is as it may vary with different cultures and in other geographic regions.
Questions to Consider
In summary, reporting unethical behavior is a judgment decision you have to make. Weigh all aspects of the situation and determine the best path for you at this juncture. Ask yourself:
- Will this affect my career growth?
- Will it change the director’s behavior?
- Should I just focus on my work and production?
- Is it best for the corporation if I report the behavior?
Use your experience, training, and your own values to make the right choice.
Richard B. Secord is a sales consultant and trainer and a U.S. Army veteran.
