Courage and Moral Leadership

Andrew D. Brown
Broward College

Courage and Moral Leadership

Abstract
This paper will answer the questions of the Sycamore Pharmaceuticals case study in The
Leadership Experience by Daft & Lane. It will discuss the writers beliefs in Courage, Moral
leadership and the ethical climate. This paper will discuss a type of moral leader and conclude
with an ideal scenario for the case study.

Courage and Moral Leadership

Courage and Moral Leadership

I would advise John Blake to take a step back and evaluate his options. I would continue in
recommending to him that he has to make a moral decision to continue with the company or
away from the company. I feel this is my duty as the company is in business to stay in business
and in the pursuit of such may find it necessary to do unethical but legal things. The company
would work best with employees who share the same insight on to what extent can those ethics
be stretched. If there are employees who cant arent aligned with the company it will leave both
parties unhappy and consequently leave both feeling unhappy. From the initial readings I gather
the reasons for not sharing the information is it isnt legally required. Transversely the consumers
of the companys product believe that the company has a social responsibility to share any and
all information about them.

I am never one to be quick, admitting my faults. It would have taken a great deal of courage for
me to do the same as John Blake did in this case study revealing the timing and content of the
scientific studies. Knowing that it would be a risk. I think Mr. Blake was drawing strength from
others in finding his personal courage. It is through the dialog with MR Dominguez does he
demonstrate restraint and concern over the choices he has made.

I think Dominguez and Blake went along with the deception in the first place because they were
only doing their jobs. They were doing what the company incentivized them to do. Dominguez
first exclaims after initiating a talk about the story on CNN we can kiss next quarters big bonus
goodbye. (2011, p. 189) The goal they had set out to accomplish taken away. If I were in a

Courage and Moral Leadership

similar scenario with the same company I would have made the same decisions. I would have
made an attempt to bury any negative press and promote the good press in the hope of attaining
the goal. That big quarterly bonus. The company created a culture of incentives surrounded
around money. Offering doctors offices cash incentives for prescribing the drug even if wasnt
necessary. I feel had the company created a culture surrounded with curing ailments and caring
for patients the outcome could have been drastically different. I imagine a scenario where the
company invites all press good and bad. Holding forums to figure out how to make the best
possible product to help the greatest amount of people and deliver it for an affordable price. IF
the company were to establish that as their moral ground then decision made using that as the
root would most always come through well not only in the publics eye but the eye of the
stockholder as well.

REFERENCES

Courage and Moral Leadership

Daft, R. L., & Lane, P. G. (2011). The Leadership experience (5e [ed.] ed.). Australia: SouthWestern Cengage Learning.