Ethical and Values-Based Leadership

Exemplary leadership involves building teams and organizations that have a clear vision and strategy for the future, are infused with a sense of purpose and motivation to pursue that vision and are operating under a strong set of values and virtues that guide proper action. This requires transformational leaders – leaders who influence others through role modelling, inspiration, intellectual engagement, and the creation of individual connections.  A core tenet of transformational leadership is values-based leadership – infusing values in teams, that once embraced, align aspirations and actions toward common purpose, while simultaneously illuminating what constitutes unacceptable behavior.

In executing strategy, organizations often face ethical tensions between the conflicting obligations they hold to numerous stakeholders.  Different organizational values may also conflict with one another in a given situation. Platitudes such as “do the right thing” or “live by our values” have reduced use, as such dilemmas are not between right vs. wrong, but between right vs. right. This requires that leaders have the capacity to assess highly complex ethical issues using robust decision-making techniques, be able to apply multiple values and virtues to ambiguous situations, and gain consensus around their decisions.

To enhance participants abilities to enact such exemplary leadership, this session will provide concepts, frameworks, and tools concerning ethical and values-based leadership, transformational and transactional leadership, ethical decision-making processes, and tools to diagnose and build ethical cultures.

There are no current dates for this program, please join our mailing list to be notified of future offerings on this topic.

Key Learnings

Current and emerging leaders will learn to lead through values and get results with integrity, practice a robust ethical decision-making framework, understand moral courage, confidence, and ownership, learn to build and reinforce ethical cultures and climates, and align organizational systems to promote virtuous behavior.

Meet the Faculty

Sean Hannah Headshot
Sean Hannah, Ph.D.
J. Tylee Wilson Chair in Business Ethics; Professor of Management; Senior Research Associate, CLC, Wake Forest School of Business
Wake Forest University

Additional Information

Who should attend?

This program is designed for experienced leaders wishing to enhance their ability to build an ethical culture and bolster their organization’s character through the use of concepts, frameworks, and tools concerning ethical and values-based leadership.  Interested participants are encouraged to attend individually or in teams from their organizations.

Schedule

Sample Schedule: 8:30am- 4:00pm

  • 8:00– 8:20 Continental Breakfast
  • 8:20 – 8:30 Introductions and program overview
  • 8:30 – 10:15 Session 1 – Key Behaviors of Ethical and Values-Based Leadership; and Building Trust and Credibility
  • 10:15 – 10:30 Break
  • 10:30 – 12:00 Session 2 – Using Transactional and Transformational Leadership Styles to Influence Others
  • 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch
  • 12:45 – 2:15 Session 3 – Ethical Decision Making Frameworks and Tools
  • 2:15 – 2:30 Break
  • 2:30 – 4:00 Session 4 – Building and Reinforcing Ethical Cultures and Climates
  • 4:00 – 4:15 Review and group discussion
Materials

Course materials are included in the cost of tuition. Course materials will be distributed in paper format at the beginning of the workshop. Electronic materials can be provided upon request.

Refund & Cancellation Policies

Program Cancellation

This course is offered contingent upon sufficient enrollment. If a course must be cancelled, all registered participants will be notified at least five (5) calendar days before the course’s start date. All registered participants will receive a 100% tuition refund. No fees will be charged for cancelled courses.

Individual Cancellation – Refund Policy

Prospective participants who withdraw at least 10 days prior to the start of a course will receive a full refund of tuition paid.

Contact Us

For more information, or to speak with a program adviser, please send an email to executivewake@wfu.edu

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