Unethical Behaviour
The Perfect Storm of Leaders’ Unethical Behavior: A Conceptual Framework
Diane J. Chandler Regent University School of Divinity, United States
Unethical behavior of leaders has consequences for leaders themselves, followers, and their respective organizations. After defining relevant terms including ethics, morality, and ethical and unethical leadership, a conceptual framework for the unethical behavior of leaders is proposed, which includes the three “perfect storm” dimensions of leaders, followers, and situational context. Additionally, the mediating variable termed “critical incident” suggests that unethical leadership behavior is precipitated by a catalyzing thought, condition, intention, or event. With specific examples illustrating the conceptual framework dimensions and salient characteristics of each, the paper then concludes with a discussion of the implications of unethical leadership behavior, with attention given to further research foci.
The unethical behavior of leaders can be compared to the formation of tornadoes, a “perfect storm” resulting from the combinative effect of rotating winds, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Similarly, unethical behavior of leaders occurs when a conflux of factors interact between leaders (rotating winds), followers (colliding hot and cold temperatures), and the situational context (atmospheric conditions), catalyzed by a critical incident or trigger event that pulls everything into its center, similar to the vortex of a tornado. Just as tornadic activity is difficult to predict and may result in damaging loss of property, personal injury, and death, unethical leadership behavior damages all involved including leaders, followers, and organizations. Examples of unethical behavior of seemingly successful leaders abound in business, government, and religion. Names like Kenneth Lay, Andrew Fastow, and Jeffrey Skilling of Enron; Dennis Koslowski of Tyco; Eliot Spitzer, former Governor of New York; John Edwards,
Diane J. Chandler Regent University School of Divinity, United States
Unethical behavior of leaders has consequences for leaders themselves, followers, and their respective organizations. After defining relevant terms including ethics, morality, and ethical and unethical leadership, a conceptual framework for the unethical behavior of leaders is proposed, which includes the three “perfect storm” dimensions of leaders, followers, and situational context. Additionally, the mediating variable termed “critical incident” suggests that unethical leadership behavior is precipitated by a catalyzing thought, condition, intention, or event. With specific examples illustrating the conceptual framework dimensions and salient characteristics of each, the paper then concludes with a discussion of the implications of unethical leadership behavior, with attention given to further research foci.
The unethical behavior of leaders can be compared to the formation of tornadoes, a “perfect storm” resulting from the combinative effect of rotating winds, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Similarly, unethical behavior of leaders occurs when a conflux of factors interact between leaders (rotating winds), followers (colliding hot and cold temperatures), and the situational context (atmospheric conditions), catalyzed by a critical incident or trigger event that pulls everything into its center, similar to the vortex of a tornado. Just as tornadic activity is difficult to predict and may result in damaging loss of property, personal injury, and death, unethical leadership behavior damages all involved including leaders, followers, and organizations. Examples of unethical behavior of seemingly successful leaders abound in business, government, and religion. Names like Kenneth Lay, Andrew Fastow, and Jeffrey Skilling of Enron; Dennis Koslowski of Tyco; Eliot Spitzer, former Governor of New York; John Edwards,
References: International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145 Chandler/INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES International Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 5 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 69-93 © 2009 School of Global Leadership &Entrepreneurship, Regent University ISSN 1554-3145