Ethical business practices can be difficult to define and can tend to be very subjective, however for those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ the foundational groundwork for ethical decisions has been laid out (Liberty University, 2011). As a recent article (2011) relating to worldview states, “Everything we do-including our business decisions-now has eternal significance,” (Liberty University, 2011, p. 7). For this reason it is important for us to remember and honor the one who gave us the gifts and talents that so fruitfully benefit our lives. We must also remember that our behaviors, at work and at home alike, should reflect our beliefs and convictions as Christians. Lastly we, as leaders, need to inspire others to reach their potential.
While ethics can be difficult to define in our world today because so many people believe in so many different ideas and concepts, for Christians it is much more cut and dry. “We are beholden to the Creator God, who while giving us every strength, gift and opportunity we currently possess, also gives us the choice on whether or not we will follow him,” (Liberty University, 2011, p. 9). If you believe and follow God then you need to exemplify the life of Jesus Christ here on Earth, you need to live by what the Bible shares with us. It is our obligation as followers to use the Bible as our moral compass and to pray about every decision in our lives to ensure that we are utilizing the gifts and talents that God has blessed us with. For those who are not Christians, it would seem that life is a guessing game and the moral compass would constantly be wavering depending on your mood and circumstances.
It is important to behave in a respectable and transparent way at work and at home. While there is a need for separation and disconnect from work while you are taking part in your home life, it is important to ensure that you are the same respectable person at work that you are at home. There should never be a time when you fear people from your work and home life intermingling due to a fear that you will be found out to be something different in both places. An important concept was discussed in an article by James Hayes (1981), “Those who accept promotion to manager or to some higher level in management must realize that the step up more often than not will abridge private life, [and] involve family as never before,” (p. 3). This reminds us of the importance of transparency and consistent behavior, which resonates even more today than it did when this article was originally published.
Ethical behavior in leadership means being a servant leader, while developing your own career, talents, gifts and opportunities you will also be building up those around you and encouraging them to reach their best potential. Inspirational is the word that best exemplifies true leadership skills; one article recognized the role of inspirational leaders:
These leaders truly believe that their role is to serve the people and to enable them to reach their innate potential. When people are inspired, they feel the fire of passion that will drive them intrinsically and independently to achieve the right thing (Kerfoot, 2002, p. 347).
At the core of ethics for Christians is equality in opportunity and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31), the aforementioned statement coupled with the concept of continued humility (Early, 2006) summarizes our potential to be inspirational leaders.
Ethics can be a challenging concept but with a biblical foundation, it allows ethical decisions to be made with ease by honoring the groundwork which God has set forth in our lives. Our behavior should reflect the convictions that we hold in our hearts. Our lives, at work and home, should reflect our beliefs so as to not be living two different lives and moral sets. Lastly, we need to be enthusiastically involved in the transformation that we want to see take place within our workplace and our lives (Reynierse, 1994, p. 40).
Bibliography
Early, G. (2006). The inner work of the chief executive: Humility and wisdom in the service of leadership. Trasnformation 23/4, 243-252.
Hayes, J. (1981). Memo for management: An exemplary performance in management. Management Review, 2-3.
Kerfoot, K. (2002). On leadership: From motiviation to inspirational leadership. Urologic Nursing, 347-348.
Liberty University. (2011). Article 1: What is a worldview and why is it important to me? Worldview, Philosophy, Faith and Ethics. Lynchburg, VA.
Liberty University. (2011). Article 2: Adding the Framework-Ontology, Epistemology, & Axiology. Worldview, Philosophy, Faith and Ethics. Lynchburg, VA.
Liberty University. (2011). If a God, then which God? Worldview, Philosophy, Faith and Ethics. Lynchburg , VA.
Reynierse, J. (1994). Ten commandments for CEOs seeking organizational change. Business Horizons, 40-45.