Article Reflection: Levels of Ethical Analysis

The good result of the experience was that my team successfully reached the goal of getting 64 students into the building. That means I satisfactorily exemplified the very essence of leadership which according to Palmer is moving others to work in line of a vision towards a 

common goal (Palmer, 2009). 

The negative outcome was that our lies backfired. The students resorted to social media when the repairs did not get done. I think it marred our reputation. Well that was where it ended, no refund, no compensation, no repairs. They had to live with it the whole year, unfortunately.

I think my team’s performance was effective because the means of leadership was ethical. According to the article, the means of leadership refers to the leader’s behavior in influencing the team to work towards the goal (Palmer, 2009). I can satisfactorily say my behaviour entailed enabling interactions and tasks, showing support and reiterating goals which Hughes, Ginnett and Curphy (2015) classify as effective leadership behavior.

The team’s high performance resulted in commendation from the management because a huge part of the department’s quarterly goals were met. This conforms to research findings that business success follows ethical leadership means; at least short term financial success (Kouzesand Posner, 2003). We all got bonuses for a job well done and I was able to get references from my manager for future jobs. I think each team members’ intrinsic motivation and expertise also contributed to our great performance. To that effect, I would like to explore methods of inspiring teams to work hard and reach goals when they are not so motivated or skilled.

As for the negative outcome; the fact that our customers were not satisfied- it was obviously because we did not intend to work for their interest alongside ours in the first place. In Palmer’s (2009) words again, the leadership aim was not a common telos. When it was time to 
rent out the hostels the next term, the vacancy rate was longer, thereby affecting the organization’s bottom line negatively this time around. In details, the students moved out in May and as opposed to the hostels being occupied in September; the start of the new term, the rooms 
remained vacant till mid-October because even new students had heard about how dubious the hostel management was. This outcome demonstrates Sison’s (2003) research conclusion that ethical lapses lead to business lapses in the long run. I think the negative outcome could have been avoided if I engaged in the three level of ethical analysis as Palmer prescribed (Palmer, 2009). I would have noticed that the heart of leadership was not ethical enough in the situation.

In reflecting on my leadership behavior, I think I was able to be empathic with my teammates because I had earlier learnt empathy, synergy and the joy of excelling together from a course mate. Prior to that time, my character inclination was towards hoarding information, using people as means to my ends and cutting them off whenever I felt I did not need them. My undergraduate program department once had a competition which I was so bent on winning, and I noticed she wanted to win also.

Conclusion

In reflecting on my experience, I realize that after discovering the common telos was not benefiting all parties involved, I should have tried to influence up. Uhl Bien and Carsten (2007) call this “upward ethical leadership”. Precisely, I could have made negotiations; make them see 
why keeping the hostels in good conditon would profit them in the long run, find artisans to make the repairs at most affordable price. I should have rejected the job if I could not influence the management to do the right thing, instead of sitting back and being a part of the corruption.
Moreover, I should have apologized to the students after promising and failing instead of ignoring them.