Six Tips To Help You Be An Ethical Leader

As a manager, there is a clear difference between being just a boss and being a leader. Where a boss orders, a leader guides; a boss manages, a leader inspires. The difference lies in how you make your employees feel and how you view your relationship with them. A good leader sees it as their responsibility to inspire, guide, and nurture their employees to help them improve; they lead by example.

Ethical leadership is defined as "leadership that is directed by respect for ethical beliefs and values and for the dignity and rights of others." It is mainly concerned with moral development and virtuous behavior.

And while this all may sound lofty, it's more attainable than you might think. Here's how to become an ethical leader.

1. Define and align your values.

Consider the morals you were raised with: Treat others how you want to be treated, always say "thank you," help those who are struggling, etc. But as you grow, and as society progresses, conventions change, often causing values to shift.

Ask yourself what matters to you as an individual and then align that with your priorities as a leader. Defining your values not only expresses your authenticity, it encourages your team to do the same, creating a shared vision for all workers.

2. Hire people with similar values.

While your values don't need to be identical with those of your workers, you should be able to establish common ground with them. This often starts with the hiring process and is maintained through a vision statement.

3. Promote open communication.

Every employee is different, even if they share similarities. With each decision you make, be transparent and encourage feedback from your team. This helps you become a better leader and helps your workers feel more confident in sharing their ideas or concerns.

Gathering feedback from your team helps you improve as a leader and propels your business forward.

4. Beware of bias.

As humans, many of us have beliefs, subconscious or otherwise, that are outdated or erroneous. No leader wants to admit to their flaws, but not practicing self-awareness can lead to detrimental consequences.

If you are an open-minded leader, you will build and maintain better relationships with your workers.

5. Lead by example.

To build an ethical company, you must start from the top down. Your employees will see your behavior, choices, and values and will adopt them in their own practices.

It instills respect and lets your employees see that you truly believe in them and trust them to work.

6. Find your role models.

There are many leaders throughout history. Do a little research of good, powerful leaders and try to identify what they do well. Then implement it into your own leadership style.