The idea that managers act as role models reminds me of experiences I have had in in a group with an inspirational leaders. I have had a leader who took responsibility, communicates clearly, and treated everyone equally. This leader also did this naturally, it was just in his nature to treat people that way and lead that way. This created a respectful and productive environment where people are excited and energized to work and produce. In contrast, when a leader isn’t respectful or ignores others, it creates a toxic workplace that limits the potential of that business. This also connects to the virtue ethics. This means that a leader’s character and values are much more important than how the company is performing. Lichtenstein complements that by showing how those values also help determine strategy and organizational behavior. He believes that ethics is rooted in who we are as people and not the choices that we make .

Companies whose CEOs value sustainability often incorporate environmental goals into operation rather than just treating them as a option. When built into the strategy, you’ll see much better results and a larger emphasis on it as the company operates. When values become misaligned, tension and instability often follow. The values dynamic that Lichtenstein describes explain why some cultural transformations don’t work. If the leaders value do not resonate with the employees, the culture will not be sustainable and will likely fall through. It is important to have a leader who embraces the companies culture, not one that tries to get the company to follow their culture.

Lichtenstein, Scott. “The Role of Values in Leadership: How Leaders’ Values Shape Value Creation.” Integral Leadership Review, Jan. 2012,