Final Key Traits Of An Ethical Leader

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Encouraging others to be ethical is the final key trait of an ethical leader. This can be done both indirectly and directly. An ethical leader indirectly encourages their followers to be ethical by leading by example (Ataya, 2017). When employees/followers see the leader behaving in ethically way, they are more likely to follow in their footsteps. According to Lee (2016), when a leader has high moral standards, they are encourage their followers to behave ethically. These ethically behaviors are most likely spread through an increase in employee voice and will help the ethical behavior spread throughout the organization.
A study conducted by Wu and Wang (2015) examined the relationship between ethical leadership and employee voice. A total …show more content…

One can see the influence these leaders have made in their communities simply by embodying the few key traits listed above. One leader that is a prime example of an ethical leader is Howard Schultz.
Historical Figure
In 2017, Forbes Magazine ranked Starbucks as one of the world’s most ethical companies. (Kauflin, 2017) Making the list is no easy feat, as thousands of companies apply for the honor each year and only 130 are selected. For Starbucks, what is even more impressive is the fact that they have made the list for 11 years in a row. In order to understand why Starbucks has long been considered an ethical company, one must examine the company’s leadership. To do so, one must be familiar with Howard Schultz.
There is a common misconception that Howard Schultz is the founder of Starbucks, but he actually started as an employee for the company in 1982. (Schultz, 2011) His humble beginnings span much earlier on, as someone who grew up with working-class parents in the government housing projects of Brooklyn, New York. The family experienced extreme poverty as a result of Schultz’s father losing a position as a delivery driver due to a work injury. This experience had a profound effect on Schultz and shaped his views concerning a company’s social responsibility to

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