Introduction – Recent events in government, religion, big business and the world scene have highlighted the importance of a “moral compass” to guide organizations toward excellence in performance with ethical behavior. History is replete with effective leaders who were able to move large numbers of people in unproductive directions. In any course on leadership, it seems important to introduce a conceptual model of ethics, hopefully free of bias and encourage its use through application to problems requiring value-laden decisions. The goal is to encourage active and open discussion of ethical alternatives, understanding of consequences of action, and insight and reflection on the topic from a leadership perspective. Unit Learning Goals – When you finish this unit, you will be able to:Understand and apply a conceptual model of ethics to a variety of ethical problems.Write a personal definition of ethics, which will be useful to you as you approach professional and personal issues which require difficult decisions. Participate in candid and open discussions on sensitive topics with the confidence that you have a point of view, and that discussion is important to greater understanding of such topics, and to effective decisions, if needed. Questions to be answered before class as you complete the reading assignment:What is your definition of ethics? What are the important issues to keep in mind when confronting a difficult decision requiring ethical considerations?Honest people often differ on matters of ethical choice – what are some strategies to “find the common ground”, to bring people together on such issues?What is the most difficult ethical decision you had to make? How did you approach the decision? What were the key reasons that helped you make the decision that you made? Summary of Key Points:Making tough ethical decisions often involves a choice not between right and wrong, but between right and right.Having a criteria or lens by which decisions can be viewed can be a helpful in consistency of decision-making.The leader’s behavior has a major impact on the culture of the organization – the leader’s approach to ethical decision-making is central to the shaping of the culture. click for download