High Moral Standard Ranks Top
A new study shared on HBR.org puts ethics and safety at the top of the most necessary leadership competencies. The study provided a list of 74 common leadership qualities, and asked participants to identify the qualities they found most important.
Ethics – having a strong moral standard – rated at the top, with the capacity for self-organizing and strong communications skills falling close behind. Find a full explanation of the results at this link.
Taken together, these attributes are all about creating a safe and trusting environment. A leader with high ethical standards conveys a commitment to fairness, instilling confidence that both they and their employees will honor the rules of the game. Similarly, when leaders clearly communicate their expectations, they avoid blindsiding people and ensure that everyone is on the same page. In a safe environment employees can relax, invoking the brain’s higher capacity for social engagement, innovation, creativity, and ambition.
“One clear means of communicating a high moral standard, and a strong ethical foundation, is by developing a clear list of organizational values and then weaving those values into the DNA of your company’s daily life,” says Dr. Jim Ludema, director of the Center for Values-Driven Leadership and a professor of global leadership.
Explore new ways you can make your corporate values meaningful through the Center’s free eBook, Making Values Meaningful: A Menu of Options for Senior Leaders. Download the book now, using the link on the left.
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