In Sandra Waddock’s “Ethical Role of the Manager” she overviews ethics in leadership from a broad and more narrow perspective. In Waddock’s broader view of ethical leadership, she identifies management and/or leadership as managerial decisions always affect someone or something. Conversely, she also uses a more narrow lens in the sense that truly ethical leaders must act in their stakeholders’ best interests (as stated in the law), no matter the circumstance. Through segmenting the article into ethical leadership (being a moral person and manager), ethical decision making frameworks (rights and duties, utilitarianism, justice, ethics of care, and making ethical managerial decisions) and moral development (codes of conduct and mangers/ethics in organizations), Waddock analyzes each component of leadership and how ethics are applicable in its respective situation.
I really like Waddock’s point that ethical leaders must act as both moral individuals and moral managers. I have seen firsthand how being unethical as an individual and manager has resulted in negative social stigmas that are extremely difficult to remove. For example, a scenario that comes to mind is Houston Astros manager AJ Finch during their 2017 and 2018 season. During these years, the Astros were using illegal camera systems to steal signs from the pitcher and catcher and relay them to their batter by banging on a trash can. AJ Finch was entirely aware of this and continued to let it happen. Ultimately, Finch received a one year suspension from the MLB and tarnished his, as well as the Astros’ entire organization’s reputation.
Waddock, Sandra. “Ethical Role of the Manager.” Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society. Ed. . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE,
- 786-91. SAGE Reference Online. Web. 30 Jan. 2012.