CSU LEADERS CONGRESS CSG: STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS August 6, 2008

BUILDING AN ORGANIZATION OF CHARACTER & EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP

ARCHIMEDES C. ARTICULO, MPhil.
Chair, Department of Social Sciences & Philosophy College of Arts & Sciences Cagayan State University

I. The Moral Dimensions Of Leadership

Character is that which reveals moral purpose, exposing the class of things a man chooses and avoids. Aristotle, Greek philosopher (384-322 B.C.) (384-

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, novelist, playwright, scientist and philosopher (1749-1832) (1749-

Almost every year, student leaders convene to discuss the salient concepts of leadership & effective organizational management. What makes your activity this year significantly different is the inclusion of Ethics in the concept of leadership training and organizational development. The greatest blunder in mapping out how to empower student leaders, is the failure to appreciate the need to develop the moral dimensions of leadership.

Without character, without loyalty to clear organizational vision and missions that are strongly grounded on some set of ethical ideals, effective leadership becomes nothing but effective leadership in corrupting student funds and in covering mistakes and mismanagement of organizations limited resources;

At this point, we need to clarify our terms. When we say an Organization of Character, what do we really mean? y Does it mean the Organization has a character which should be nurtured by its leaders and members? y Does the phrase suggest a need to search for a Character befitting a student organization? or y Does it refer to the character of leaders and members who are expected to lead and to give life to an organization?

To avoid useless sophistry, the key is to understand first what we mean when we say, character. y As a moral concept, we settle on two essential attributes of character: 1. It is the sum of personal values; a set of convictions that are wholistically lived-out; 2. It refers to public reputation. Others come to know an individual by his/her character. 3. It refers to distinctive qualities that sets a person apart from others, it is in this sense that it refers to somebody's qualities of mind, predispositions, and feeling.
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In Ethics or Moral Theology, character is an attribute exclusive to sentient beings entities that think, or has the ability and power of reflection and rational action. It cannot be possessed by any creation or product of social and legal fiction.

The implication of the foregoing is this: An Organization is not an ethico-biological entity, as such, it cannot possess a character of its own. Its character is the dominant culture which is embraced, promoted, embodied, and displayed by the human beings who comprise it. The character of leaders and members, taken on its entirety and lived-out publicly, is the very character of an organization.

We now have this first PREMISE: any effort aimed at building an organization of character MUST always start in building the moral character of BOTH leaders and members. Between leaders and members, who should take the initiative, and the active role, in developing and exemplifying a moral character from which the organization would later be publicly known? Western & Eastern Philosophy provide us with countless literatures giving to leaders the duty to initiate this transformational project.

An approach to ethics based upon moral character and virtue of leaders enjoys an extraordinarily broad cross-cultural base in terms of the "framing narratives" that guide ethical discourse in cultural settings as diverse as Western and Confucian traditions. From Platos "philosopher king" to the virtuous Confucian minister of the State, the leader or the superior person" are portrayed as both a font of wisdom and the embodiment of virtue, whose very presence and being brings about personal and social transformations.

Think of past and present leaders. It is apparent that each famous leader is a person of strong character. Over one's lifetime, character has to be developed painstakingly. As Helen Keller, puts it elegantly: Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. It is strength of character that makes a leader truly great.

II. Leadership Character & the Ethics of Leadership

At the outset, we now lay down this second PREMISE: In leadership, character matters. This is not to deny that evil people can bring about good things or that good people can lead the way to moral ruin. Rather, leadership provides a moral compass and, over the long term, both personal development and the common good are best served by a moral compass that reads true.

For many moral analysts, leadership is a manyheaded hydra that alternately shows the faces of Saddham Hussein and Pol Pot as well as the faces of Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa. The stories that recount the accomplishments of such leaders raise moral questions concerning the character of the leaders.

The ethics of leadership rests upon three pillars: (1) the moral character of the leader, (2) the ethical values embedded in the leaders vision, articulation, and program which followers either embrace or reject, and (3) the morality of the processes of social ethical choice and action that leaders and followers engage in and collectively pursue. Such ethical dimensions of leadership have been widely acknowledged (Wren, 1996; Kouzes & Posner,1993; Greenleaf, 1977).

Leaders who possess this ethics of leadership are called Transformational leaders. Transformational in the sense that Both the leader and the led are transformed - sharply changed in performance and outlook. Transformational leaders, through their own transformation, are effective in transforming the moral work culture of their organization.

What, specifically, transformational leaders do? Transformational leaders lead by example. They set examples to be emulated by their followers. If transformational leaders lead by example, what criteria should they observe when setting out examples? In not so many words: those that which a morally mature agent would do under a trying circumstances.

As suggested by Burns (1978) and demonstrated by Dukerich, Nichols, et al (1990) when leaders are more morally mature, those they lead display higher moral predispositions, reasoning and loyalty to organizational ideals. Perhaps the most difficult question that cannot be answered in simple terms is this: What is the mark of a morally mature leader? Certainly, we need to set some criteria.

In assessing the hallmarks of moral maturity as an important grounding of the ethical dimensions of leadership, we will be guided by two principal criteria (we fuse the 3rd and 4th Pillars and consider them comprising just one criteria): 1) the character and virtue that leaders should emulate, and 2) the legitimacy of social processes, "rules of the game, and interpersonal dynamics that should govern social moral choices.

Criteria 1: The Character and virtue of leaders

Here the philosophy of the opposite is applicable: we understand something by understanding first what it is not. We could best remember the marks of a morally mature leader, that is, of an authentic transformational leader, or a leader of character by understanding the attributes of a pseudo-transformational leader. We will start first with describing a pseudotransformational leader, then proceed describing a leader of character.

Pseudo-transformational leaders are:

1) Suppressors of information. In their efforts to accent the positive, to make inspiring appeals, to maintain the enthusiasm and morale of followers, they withhold the release of information, or they will time its release for when it will not do the most good.

2) Persons of Pretense. They give the appearance of confidence even when they are unsure about what they are doing and what they are telling followers to do. 3) Without Integrity. They will initiate projects which they personally oppose and delay implementing them so that the projects are never completed. They will publicly support but privately oppose proposals.

4) Breakers of a Rationally made

Compromises. They will openly compromise but privately divert the implementation of the compromise. 5) Deceitful. They may have the public image of a saint but privately are deceptive devils. Inwardly they remain
more interested in themselves than their followers. They are not what they appear to be.

6) A Sham. They knowingly focus their followers on fantasies instead of attainable visions. And these masquarades are at the expense of their followers who gave them their trust and confidence.
7) Lovers of Fallacies. Pseudotransformational leaders overweight authority and underweight reason. Pseudoleaders feed on the ignorance of their followers. Pseudotransformational leaders will welcome and expect blind obedience. They substitute emotional argumentation for rational discourse.

8) False Messiahs. They highlight fictitious "we-they" differences in values and argues that "we" have inherently good values and "they" do not. They sustain their privileged positions by promoting hatred and irrational fear of the others which divide. They can be subtle and speak with a forked tongue: offering followers empowerment, yet continuing to treat them as dependent children (Sankowsky,1995)

Pseudotransformational leadership endorses perverse modal values such as favoritism, victimization, and special interests and end values such as racial superiority, submission, and Social Darwinism (Carey, 1992; Solomon, 1996). It can invent fictitious obstacles, imaginary enemies and visions that are chimeras.

Knowing the attributes of a pseudotransformational leader imposes a moral duty to any aspiring leader to refrain from developing or having them. A morally effective leader is not a pseudotransformational leader.

Authentic Transformational leaders are: 1) Clear with their conception of the Self. They have a more reasonable and realistic concept of self -- a self that is connected to friends, family, and community whose welfare may be more important to ones own. Their sense of moral obligations to others are grounded in a broader conception of individuals within community and related social norms and cultural beliefs.

2) Respectful of the Dignity of Members. They

do not impose Ethical norms and behavioral ideals to others but they allow them to freely embrace the same; they do not reduce motivation to coercion- they rather allows it to grow out of authentic inner commitment; they do not treat their followers as mere means to self-satisfying ends but they rather treat them as ends in themselves.

3) Promoters of Ethical Conduct. within their

organizations ethical policies, procedures and processes. They are committed to a clearly stated, continually-enforced code of ethical conduct which helps establish acceptable standards. They foster an organizational culture with high ethical standards to promote the internalization in all the organizations members a shared moral standards.

4) Believers in the inherent goodness of Man. The inspirational appeals of the authentic transformational leader tend to focus on the best in people-- on harmony, charity and good works. They move their followers towards the achievement of these ideals.

5) Lovers of Reason. Authentic transformational leaders persuade others on the merits of the issues. Authentic transformational leaders openly bring about changes in followers values by the merit and relevancy of the leaders ideas and mission to their followers ultimate benefit and satisfaction (Howell,1988). They confront, not evade, issues head on, and address them rationally. They do not stifle the search for truth and they encourage questioning and creativity among the led.

6) Set at transforming their followers as leaders. true transformational leaders are concerned about developing their followers into leaders, not about maintaining their power on the dependence of their followers. They are interested in making themselves as ideals, not idols.

7) Prepared to lead. Transformational leaders are always ready to do things to sharpen their intellect, they have the insatiable hunger for more knowledge, they seek to know more, to learn more, to be fit in performing their task of leading; 8) Honest. They know when they do not know something. And with honesty and humility they know when to seek the help of others, and when to consult the people whom they lead.

Leaders are authentically transformational when they increase awareness of what is right, good, important, and beautiful, when they help to elevate followers needs for achievement and self- actualization, when they foster in followers higher moral maturity, and when they move followers to go beyond their self- interests for the good of their group, organization, or society.

Transformational leadership is predicated upon the inner dynamics of a freely embraced change of heart in the realm of core values and motivation, upon open-ended intellectual stimulation and a commitment to treating people as ends not mere means. We now have this third PREMISE: the transformation of members is greatly influenced by the moral character of the leader.

If this criteria is satisfied, fulfilling the requirements of the moral dimension of leadership is half achieved. We now come to the second criteria: the legitimacy of social processes, "rules of the game, and interpersonal dynamics that should govern social moral choices of the organization.

Criteria 2: The Rules of the Game

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Of the two criteria, this is easier to grasp. The rule of the game is simple: attainment of value/character congruence (i.e. agreement) between the leader and the led; The achievement of value congruence between the leader and the led demands consensual decisions, individual rights and freedom of choice (Rost, 1991). However, free choice narrowly conceived can result in the tragedy of the commons.

In the ethics of Nozick and Rand, the solution is found by negotiating interests in terms of a contract and then fulfilling that contract. The contract, your contract with the students of this University, is to lead and serve them for their improvement, development, and empowerment. Students expect nothing less.

If the relationship between the leader and the led is contractual in nature, the question now becomes, under what terms will the obligations of the leader be done? The answer is easy, and this forms our fourth PREMISE: The leader must be guided by the specific terms of the first criteria, that is, the leader must endeavor to perform his/her obligation by following the ways of a transformational leader.

III. CONCLUSION: An Organization of Character and Morally Effective Leadership

We revisit our four premises:

P1 - Any effort aimed at building an organization of character MUST always start in building the moral character of BOTH leaders and members. P2 - In leadership, character matters. P3 - The transformation of members is greatly influenced by the moral character of the leader. P4 - The leader must be guided in performing his/her contractual obligation with his followers by following the ways of a transformational leader.

From our four premises, we can deduce two possible conclusions: C1 - Building an Organization of Character requires the metamorphosis of the leader into morally mature/ transformational leader, and the development of members with strong moral character. C2 Effective leadership is defined in terms of transformational leadership.

When both leaders and the led are transformed, only then the entire organization becomes an organization of character.

An Organization of Character is an organization that is being led by a morally effective transformational leader, and made up of members with strong moral character. It is an organization that has clearly identified its core values and unifying purposes, with an environment that is conducive for the full realization of human potential, and fosters pluralistic leadership and effective, satisfied followers.

Virtues and Character, we have to admit, cannot be transmitted or developed by simply attending a two-hour lecture. But I hope that by defining terms and concepts, by sharing to you some Philosophical insights about the subject matter, you could have a clearer idea on how to start your quest in becoming morally effective student leaders.

Thank you.

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