Ethics and Leadership

At its simplest, ethics can be defined as a system of moral principles. They affect how people make decisions and lead their lives. According to the BBC (www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml) ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is also described as moral philosophy. The term is derived from the Greek word ethos which can mean custom, habit, character or disposition. Ethics covers the following dilemmas: * How to live a good life * Our rights and responsibilities * The language of right and wrong * Moral decisions - what is good and bad? * How to lead and use of authority.
Our concepts of ethics have been derived from religions, philosophies and cultures. They infuse debates on topics like abortion, human rights and professional conduct and leadership.
On the other hand, Christian ethics is well summarized by Colossians 3:1-6: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” While more than just a list of “do’s” and “don’ts,” the Bible does give us detailed instructions on how we should live. The Bible is all we need to know about how to live the Christian life. However, the Bible does not explicitly cover every situation we will face in our lives. How then is it sufficient for the all the ethical dilemmas we face? That is where Christian ethics comes in.
(http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-ethics.html#ixzz2XD0Zt5FS)
In leadership, ethics are critical to the execution of the God given authority and the fulfillment of Gods