Although there has been an interest in ethics for thousands of years, there is very little theoretical research on the nature of leadership ethics. Ethical theory provides a set of principles to guide leaders in making decisions about how to act and how to be morally upright. In the Western tradition, ethical theories are typically divided into two types: theories of behavior and theories of character.

Ethics play a central role in the leadership process. Because leadership involves influence and leaders often have more power than their followers, they have a tremendous ethical responsibility for how they affect other people. Leaders must engage their followers to achieve common goals, so it is imperative that they treat their followers and their ideas with respect and dignity. Leaders also play an important role in creating an ethical climate in their organization. This role requires leaders to be particularly sensitive to the values and ideals they promote.

Several prominent leadership scholars have made unique contributions to our understanding of ethical leadership. The common theme among these authors is an ethic of care that takes into account the needs of followers and the importance of leader-follower relationships.

It is the duty of leaders to treat others with respect – to listen carefully to them and to be tolerant of opposing viewpoints. Ethical leaders serve others by being altruistic and putting the welfare of others above their own to contribute to the common good. Justice requires leaders to put fairness at the heart of their decision-making, including the challenging task of being fair to the individual while also being fair to the common interests of the community. Good leaders are honest.

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