Leadership Models and Ethical Considerations in New Zealand Business

This essay delves into the critical aspects of leadership models and their interplay with ethical behavior within the business environment, specifically referencing the New Zealand context. It examines the influence of ethics, social responsibility, and professionalism on leadership effectiveness, using Ian Whitehouse as a case study. The essay explores how ethical practices shape decision-making, emphasizing the importance of moral behavior and the impact of unethical actions on organizational performance. It also highlights the significance of social responsibility in enhancing ethical leadership and promoting business success. Furthermore, the essay discusses professionalism as a key element in fostering effective leadership and creating a productive workplace. The conclusion underscores the vital role of ethical behavior in shaping leadership, decision-making processes, and overall business outcomes, reinforcing the importance of these factors for individual and organizational success.

RUNNING HEAD: Leadership Models and Behaviour
Leadership Models and Behaviour

Leadership Models and Behaviour 1
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Identification of factors and NZ business leader........................................................................3
Nature of influence on the leader...............................................................................................3
Factors with supportive examples..............................................................................................3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

Leadership Models and Behaviour 2
Introduction
This essay has been executed with a motive to develop the knowledge of leadership skills and
the role played by leadership in providing support to the CSR, professionalism and ethical
behaviour. The term leadership can be explained as the actions which are undertaken for
guiding or leading individual or group of individuals in an organisation. Leadership is an
important element of the business environment which affects the performance of the
individual.

Leadership Models and Behaviour 3
Identification of factors and NZ business leader
Ian Whitehouse who is a strategic development manager and part of the senior management
team at Landcare research (a research institute focusing on the environment, biodiversity and
sustainability) is an example who has worked for helping the companies adopting Triple
Bottom Line Approach. Ian Whitehouse is an example for a successful leader in the New
Zealand business environment. There are various factors which create an impact on the
business leaders. Impact of these factors can be seen on the performance of the leaders. These
factors which will be discussed in this essay are ethics and ethical practices, social
responsibility, professionalism and ethical behaviour in the workplace.
Nature of influence on the leader
These factors selected in this essay have resulted in enhancing the performance of Ian
Whitehouse and of the other business leaders of New Zealand. Compliance with these factors
has a positive impact on the performance of the leaders and has contributed towards the
success of the activities performed by the leaders (Trevino, et. al., 2014).
Factors with supportive examples
Ethics and ethical practices are a crucial part of the business environment which affects the
behaviour of the business leaders. Ethics explains the right and wrong by guiding the efforts
of the individual in the right direction. Ian Whitehouse has made decisions regarding the
business operations and different issues or problems occurring at the workplace. Ethics direct
the Ian Whitehouse towards the right direction and helps in making decisions for dealing with
the different situations. Ethical factors have the potential to create an impact on the decision-

Leadership Models and Behaviour 4
making process adopted by the leader. Moral behaviour of the individual is determined on the
basis of the ethical behaviour. It is the responsibility of the leader to ensure that ethical
behaviour is adopted throughout the organisation. Unethical practices adopted by the leader
can affect the performance of the leader as well as other employees in the organisation (Bello,
2012).
For example, a sum of $ 13 billion was paid by JP Morgan for the settlement of the
corporate. This settlement was the largest settlement in the history of U.S. The reason behind
the settlement was a misrepresentation of the residential mortgage-backed securities by the
bank personnel. Another example is of the Kenneth I. Chenault who took over as a CEO of
the American Express company in the year 2001. Chenault has adopted an effective
leadership style according to which Chenault focused on responding to every employee
(MBA, 2016).
Social responsibility and leadership, both concepts are linked with each other. It is
the responsibility of the leader to ensure that ethical culture is maintained at the workplace of
the business as well as where business is existing. The leader has the potential to bring
changes in the behaviour of the employees, environment and responsibility of the business
towards the society and environment (Van Knippenberg, 2011). There has been a rise in the
concern towards the social responsibility of the business. Ian Whitehouse has focused on the
fulfilment of the social responsibility towards the society. Social responsibility affects the
behaviour of the leader towards the society and promotes ethical behaviour. Social
responsibility enhances the ethical leadership which enhances the performance of the
business in a better manner (Elci, et. al., 2012).
Employees and customers are the part of the society and business must ensure that
these stakeholders of the business fulfil the responsibility towards them. One of the main
priorities of the leader is to manage the risks associated with the social responsibility. For

Leadership Models and Behaviour 5
example, Marc Benioff of Salesforce which is a cloud computing company has taken
initiative for meeting the social responsibility as an ethical leader. Salesforce was criticized
for the violation of the human rights. He addressed the social issues by offering discounts to
higher education organisations and non-profit organisations (MBA, 2016).
Professionalism is an important element which enhances the behaviour of the
individual towards the roles and responsibilities assigned to it. A leader needs to be
professional so as to differentiate the personal and professional life and make decisions in an
effective manner. Professionalism and leadership are connected with each other. A
behavioural theory of leadership can be adopted by the leaders which will help the leaders in
focusing on objectively observable behaviours and discounting the independent activities of
the mind of the individual (Vandenberghe, 2011). This theory will help the leader in making
right decisions and enhancing the performance of the business. For the purpose of creating a
suitable place for the different personalities at the workplace of the organisation, a leader
needs to adopt professionalism behaviour and promote the same for enhancing the
performance (Miami, 2009).
Ian Whitehouse has adopted a professional behaviour for promoting the professional
behaviour so as to avoid personal discussions at the workplace of the business. Ian
Whitehouse has set an example for encouraging other employees and individuals to behave in
the same manner. A leader can discuss the issues faced by the business so as to resolve the
issues and promoting professionalism in the workplace (Emery, 2016).
Another important factor which affects the leader is ethical behaviour in the
workplace. It is the responsibility of the leader to ensure that ethical behaviour is adopted at
the workplace of the business. Ethical behaviour at the workplace of the organisation has
encouraged Ian Whitehouse to adopt an ethical behaviour for providing quality conditions to
the employees and different stakeholders associated with Landcare Research Institute. It is

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vital for the leader to adopt ethical behaviour. The culture of the business affects the
behaviour of the employees and leadership. Ethical behaviour at the workplace will enhance
the relationship at the workplace (Trevino, et. al., 2014).
For example, Michael Preysman of Everlane has chosen a radical transparency. He
has visited different factories for ensuring that professionalism is being followed at the
workplace for providing quality services to the customers of the business. The focus of
Michael was on ensuring that proper quality of the environment is maintained for the safety
of the employees at the workplace (MBA, 2016).

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Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that leadership is an important aspect which affects the attitude,
behaviour and performance of the individual working in an organisation. Ethics affects the
performance and decision-making process adopted by the leaders of the organisation. A
leader needs to adopt ethical behaviour for ensuring that the unethical aspects are not
affecting the performance of the leader and employees. Social responsibility may affect the
decisions made by the leader as decisions of the leader are based on the advantage of the
decision to business. Professionalism is another aspect which affects the performance of the
leader.

Leadership Models and Behaviour 8
References
Bello, S. M. (2012). Impact of Ethical Leadership on Employee Job Performance.
International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3 (11).
Elci, M., Sener, I., Aksoy, S. & Alpkan, L. (2012). The Impact of Ethical and Leadership
Effectiveness on Employee’s Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role of Work-
Related Stress. Procedia-Social and behavioural Sciences, 58, pp. 289-297.
Emery, E. (2016). Ethical behaviour, Leadership, and Decision Making. Walden University.
MBA. (2016). 10 Most Ethical CEOs of 2016. MBA. Accessed on: 30 September 2017.
Retrieved from: http://www.onlinemba.com/blog/blog10-most-ethical-ceos-in-
corporate-america/
Miami. (2009). Ethics and Leadership. University of Miami.
Trevino, L. K., den Nieuwenboer, N. A., & Kish-Gephart, J. J. (2014). (Un) Ethical behavior
in organizational. Annual Review of Psychology Journal, 65, 635-660.
Van Knippenberg, D. (2011). Embodying who we are: Leader group prototypicality and
leadership effectiveness. Leadership Quarterly, 22, 1078-1091.
Vandenberghe, C. (2011). Workplace spirituality and organizational commitment: An
integrative model. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 8, 211-232.