organizations of character 2

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CSU LEADER·S CONGRESSCSU LEADER·S CONGRESS

CSG: STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTSCSG: STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS

August 6, 2008August 6, 2008

BUILDING AN

ORGANIZATION OF

CHARACTER & EFFECTIVELEADERSHIP

ARCHIMEDES C. ARTICULO, MPhil.

Chair, Department of Social Sciences & Philosophy

College of Arts & Sciences

Cagayan State University



y Almost every year, student leaders convene to

discuss the salient concepts of leadership &effective organizational management. Whatmakes your activity this year significantlydifferent is the inclusion of ´Ethicsµ in the

concept of ´leadership trainingµ and´organizational developmentµ.

y

The greatest blunder in mapping out how toempower student leaders, is the failure toappreciate the need to develop the moraldimensions of leadership.



y Without character, without loyalty to clearorganizational vision and missions that arestrongly grounded on some set of ethicalideals, effective leadership becomes nothing

but effective leadership in corrupting studentfunds and in covering mistakes andmismanagement of organization·s limitedresources;



At this point, we need to clarify our terms. Whenwe say an ´Organization of Characterµ , what do wereally mean?

y Does it mean the Organization has a characterwhich should be nurtured by its leaders and

members?y Does the phrase suggest a need to search for a

Character befitting a student organization? ²or

y Does it refer to the character of leaders and

members who are expected to lead and to givelife to an organization?



y To avoid useless sophistry, the key is tounderstand first what we mean when we say,

´characterµ.y As a moral concept, we settle on two essential

attributes of ´characterµ:

1. It is the sum of personal values; a set of

convictions that are wholistically lived-out;

2. It refers to public reputation. Others cometo know an individual by his/her character.

3. It refers to distinctive qualities that sets a

person apart from others, it is in this sense

that it refers to somebody's qualities of

mind, predispositions, and feeling.



y In Ethics or Moral Theology, ´characterµ is anattribute exclusive to sentient beings ² entitiesthat think, or has the ability and power of

reflection and rational action.It cannot bepossessed by any creation or product of social and

legal fiction.



y

The implication of the foregoing is this: AnOrganization is not an ethico-biological entity, assuch, it cannot possess a ´characterµ of its own.Its character is the dominant culture which is

embraced, promoted, embodied, and displayed bythe human beings who comprise it.

y The character of leaders and members, taken on

its entirety and lived-out publicly, is the verycharacter of an organization.



y We now have this first PREMISE: any effort aimed

at building an organization of character ² MUST

always start in building the moral character of BOTH

leaders and members.

y B

etween leaders and members, who should takethe initiative, and the active role, in developingand exemplifying a moral character from which

the organization would later be publicly known?

y Western & Eastern Philosophy provide us with

countless literatures giving to leaders the duty to

initiate this transformational project.



y Think of past and present leaders. It is

apparent that each famous leader is a person

of strong character. Over one's lifetime,character has to be developed painstakingly.As Helen Keller, puts it elegantly: Character

cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only

through experiences of trial and suffering can

the soul be strengthened, vision cleared,

ambition inspired and success achieved .

y It is strength of character that makes a

leader truly great.



II.II.

Leadership CharacterLeadership Character& the Ethics of Leadership& the Ethics of Leadership



At the outset, we now lay down this

second PREMISE: In leadership,character matters.

This is not to deny that evil people canbring about good things or that good

people can lead the way to moral ruin.Rather, leadership provides a moral compass

and, over the long term, both personal

development and the common good are best

served by a moral compass that reads true.



y For many moral analysts, leadership is a many-headed hydra that alternately shows the facesof Saddham Hussein and Pol Pot as well as thefaces of Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa.

y The stories that recount the accomplishmentsof such leaders raise moral questions

concerning thecharacter

of the leaders.



The ethics of leadership rests upon three pillars:

(1) the moral character of the leader,

(2) the ethical values embedded in the leader·svision, articulation, and program which

followers either embrace or reject, and(3) the morality of the processes of social ethical

choice and action that leaders and followers

engage in and collectively pursue.

Such ethical dimensions of leadership have been

widely acknowledged (Wren, 1996; Kouzes &

Posner,1993; Greenleaf, 1977).



y What, specifically, transformational leaders do?

y Transformational leaders lead by example. Theyset examples to be emulated by their followers.

y If transformational leaders lead by example,what criteria should they observe when settingout examples?

y In not so many words: those that which a morally

mature agent would do under a trying

circumstances.



y As suggested by Burns (1978) and demonstratedby Dukerich, Nichols, et al (1990) when leadersare more morally mature, those they lead displayhigher moral predispositions, reasoning and

loyalty to organizational ideals.

y Perhaps the most difficult question that cannotbe answered in simple terms is this: What is the

mark of a morally mature leader?

y Certainly, we need to set some criteria.



In assessing the hallmarks of moral maturity as an

important grounding of the ethical dimensions of leadership, we will be guided by two principalcriteria (we fuse the 3rd and 4th Pillars andconsider them comprising just one criteria):

1) the character and virtue that leadersshould emulate, and

2) the legitimacy of social processes, "rules of the game´ , and interpersonal dynamics thatshould govern social moral choices.



P seudo-transformational leaders are:

1) Suppressors of information. In their

efforts to accent the positive, to make

inspiring appeals, to maintain theenthusiasm and morale of followers,they withhold the release of

information, or they will time its

release for when it will not do themost good.



2) P ersons of P retense. They give the

appearance of confidence even when

they are unsure about what they aredoing and what they are telling

followers to do.

3) Without Integrity. They will initiate

projects which they personally oppose

and delay implementing them so that

the projects are never completed. Theywill publicly support but privately

oppose proposals.



4) Breakers of a Rationally made

Compromises. They will openlycompromise but privately divert the

implementation of the compromise.

5) Deceitful. They may have the public

image of a saint but privately are

deceptive devils. Inwardly they remain

more interested in themselves than theirfollowers. They are not what they appear tobe.



6) A Sham. They knowingly focus theirfollowers on fantasies instead of attainablevisions. And these masquarades are at the

expense of their followers who gave them

their trust and confidence.

7) Lovers of Fallacies. Pseudotransformational

leaders overweight authority and underweightreason. Pseudoleaders feed on the ignorance

of their followers. Pseudotransformationalleaders will welcome and expect blindobedience. They substitute emotionalargumentation for rational discourse.



8) False Messiahs. They highlight fictitious

"we-they" differences in values andargues that "we" have inherently good

values and "they" do not. They sustain

their privileged positions by

promoting hatred and irrational fear of the others which divide. They can be

subtle and speak with a forked tongue:

offering followers empowerment, yet

continuing to treat them as dependentchildren (Sankowsky,1995)



Knowing the attributes of a pseudo-

transformational leader imposes a moralduty to any aspiring leader to refrain from

developing or having them. A morally effective leader is not a pseudo-

transformational leader.



Authentic Transformational leaders are:

1) Clear with their conception of the Self.

They have a more reasonable and realistic

concept of self -- a self that is connected

to friends, family, and community whosewelfare may be more important to one·s

own. Their sense of moral obligations to

others are grounded in a broader

conception of individuals within

community and related social norms and

cultural beliefs.



2) Respectful of theD

ignity of Members. Theydo not impose Ethical norms and behavioralideals to others but they allow them to freelyembrace the same; they do not reduce

motivation to coercion- they rather allows itto grow out of authentic inner commitment;they do not treat their followers as meremeans to self-satisfying ends but they rather

treat them as ends in themselves.



3)P

romoters of Ethical Conduct. within theirorganizations ethical policies, procedures andprocesses. They are committed to a clearlystated, continually-enforced code of ethical

conduct which helps establish acceptablestandards. They foster an organizational culturewith high ethical standards to promote theinternalization in all the organization·s members

a shared moral standards.



4) Believers in the inherent goodness of

Man. The inspirational appeals of the

authentic transformational leader tend to

focus on the best in people-- on harmony,charity and good works. They move their

followers towards the achievement of

these ideals.



5) Lovers of Reason. Authentic transformationalleaders persuade others on the merits of the

issues. Authentic transformational leaders

openly bring about changes in followers·

values by the merit and relevancy of the

leader·s ideas and mission to their followers·ultimate benefit and satisfaction

(Howell,1988). They confront, not evade,

issues head on, and address them rationally.

They do not stifle the search for truth and they encourage questioning and creativity among the

led.



6) Set at transforming their followers as

leaders. true transformational leaders

are concerned about developing their

followers into leaders, not about

maintaining their power on thedependence of their followers. They are

interested in making themselves as

´idealsµ, not ´idolsµ.



7) P repared to lead. Transformational leadersare always ready to do things to sharpentheir intellect, they have the insatiablehunger for more knowledge, they seek toknow more, to learn more, to be fit inperforming their task of leading;

8) Honest. They know when they do not know

something. And with honesty and humilitythey know when to seek the help of others,and when to consult the people whom theylead.



Leaders are authentically transformational

when they increase awareness of what isright, good, important, and beautiful, when

they help to elevate followers· needs for

achievement and self- actualization, whenthey foster in followers higher moral

maturity, and when they move followers

to go beyond their self- interests for thegood of their group, organization, orsociety.



Transformational leadership is predicated upon

the inner dynamics of a freely embraced

change of heart in the realm of core valuesand motivation, upon open-ended intellectual

stimulation and a commitment to treating

people as ends not mere means.

We now have this third PREMISE: the

transformation of members is greatly influenced by

the moral character of the leader.



y If this criteria is satisfied, fulfilling the

requirements of the moral dimension of leadership is half achieved.

y We now come to the second criteria: thelegitimacy of social processes, "rules of the

gameµ, and interpersonal dynamics that

should govern social moral choices of the

organization.



y Of the two criteria, this is easier to grasp.The rule of the game is simple: attainment of

value/character congruence (i.e. agreement)

between the leader and the led ;

y The achievement of value congruence

between the leader and the led demands

consensual decisions, individual rights andfreedom of choice (Rost, 1991). However, free

choice narrowly conceived can result in the

tragedy of the commons.

Criteria 2: The Rules of the GameCriteria 2: The Rules of the Game



In the ethics of Nozick and Rand, the

solution is found by negotiating interests interms of a contract and then fulfilling that

contract.

The contract, your contract with the

students of this University, is to lead and

serve them for their improvement,development, and empowerment. Studentsexpect nothing less.



If the relationship between the leader and

the led is contractual in nature, the question

now becomes, under what terms will the

obligations of the leader be done?

The answer is easy, and this forms ourfourth PREMISE:

The leader must be guided by the specific termsof the first criteria, that is, the leader must

endeavor to perform his/her obligation by

following the ways of a transformational leader.



III.III.

CONCLUSION:CONCLUSION:

An Organization of Character and An Organization of Character and Morally Effective Leadership Morally Effective Leadership



We revisit our four premises:

P1 - Any effort aimed at building an organization of character ² MUST always start in building the moralcharacter of BOTH leaders and members.

P2 - In leadership, character matters.

P3 - The transformation of members is greatly influencedby the moral character of the leader.

P4 - The leader must be guided in performing his/her

contractual obligation with his followers by followingthe ways of a transformational leader.



From our four premises, we can deduce twopossible conclusions:

C1 - Building an Organization of Characterrequires the metamorphosis of the leader

into morally mature/ transformationalleader, and the development of memberswith strong moral character.

C2 ² Effective leadership is defined in terms of transformational leadership.



When both leaders and the led aretransformed, only then the entire

organization becomes an organization of

character .



An ´Organization of Characterµ is an

organization that is being led by a morallyeffective transformational leader, and madeup of members with strong moral

character. It is an organization that has clearly

identified its core values and unifying purposes,

with an environment that is conducive for the

full realization of human potential, and fosters

pluralistic leadership and effective, satisfied followers.



Virtues and Character, we have to admit,cannot be transmitted or developed by

simply attending a two-hour lecture.

But I hope that by defining terms andconcepts, by sharing to you some

Philosophical insights about the subject

matter, you could have a clearer idea onhow to start your quest in becoming

morally effective student leaders.



Thank you.

For articles on leadership, visit:

www.articulo.webs.com

Send your inquiries to:

[email protected]

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