Professionalism and Ethics in Leadership Practice
Professionalism and Ethics in the Practice of Leadership
A leader is one who, while in a perfect location within a system, under favorable conditions, possesses the qualities and the power necessary to pursue worthy goals through other people. These individuals, motivated by the leader, influenced by their treatment, inspired by the leader’s personality, and empowered by their authority, willingly cooperate to achieve useful and important results for both parties.
The leadership of a manager is primarily derived from values and character, mainly because of the harmonious development of these qualities:
- Intellectual and professional integrity
- Organizational values
- Moral and human values
Values-based leadership is a relationship between the leader and their followers based on shared and internalized values. These values are demonstrated and put into practice by the leader. Leaders influence cultural and ethical values by clearly articulating a vision of organizational values that employees can believe in, communicating the vision throughout the organization, and institutionalizing it through everyday behavior, rituals, ceremonies, symbols, and through organizational policies and systems.
Values-based leaders generate high levels of trust and respect from employees. This is based not only on the expression of their values but also on the strength, determination, and self-sacrifice to uphold such values. Leaders can use this respect and confidence to motivate people to achieve high performance and a sense of purpose aligned with the organizational vision.
Professional Ethical Dilemmas
An ethical dilemma is a situation in which a person must choose an action that causes a conflict of values. The following are some common examples of ethical dilemmas:
- Loyalty: A conflict of loyalties requires one to be faithful to one person but unfair to another.
- Confidentiality: Example: You are scheduled to scrub in for a special surgery in operating room 12. You arrive in the break room, and a theater employee who is reading the list of operating room assignments says aloud: “Today, breast operations for Mary K. in operating room 12.” The employee sees that you are included in the operating room surgery and asks, “What do you think her problem is?”
- Values: You have refused to participate in abortions. You are called in for an emergency. When you reach the hospital, you learn you are to scrub in for a case of an incomplete induced abortion. There is no one available to take your place. The patient is experiencing severe bleeding.
- Bioethical Issues: A patient with advanced metastatic disease suffers a cardiac arrest during surgery. They have not signed an advance directive document. The team initiates CPR. You are asked for help.
Code of Professional Ethics
The Code of Ethics aims to sensitize professionals so that their practice develops in an environment of honesty, legitimacy, and morality, for the benefit of society.
Without prejudice to the legal standards embodied in the laws that regulate professions and the obligations arising from contracts for professional services, it is desirable that an ethical sense prevails in the minds of those who have the privilege of knowledge and skills pertaining to a profession. To achieve this objective, we must contribute jointly to the reunion of our identification with the values that promote a dignified, just, and equal society. We must also be convinced of the commitment that is contracted upon receiving the investiture attesting to practice.
The duty that governs the life of civilized individuals branches into various codes of conduct from different legal systems, legal rules, and ethical or moral standards, depending on the regulatory system to which they belong.