You are the boss!
What: To consider and reflect on the role of leaders and the decisions that they need to make to solve problems
Why: Leadership Styles: Knowing which of the leadership styles works best for you is part of being a good leader. Learning how to use these different styles to solve problems is very important. A good leader should be focused on their aims but should also treat people with respect and empathy.
How: To consider a range of leadership scenarios and work in groups to suggest actions and solutions to each problem.
Why: Leadership Styles: Knowing which of the leadership styles works best for you is part of being a good leader. Learning how to use these different styles to solve problems is very important. A good leader should be focused on their aims but should also treat people with respect and empathy.
How: To consider a range of leadership scenarios and work in groups to suggest actions and solutions to each problem.
Can you remember which leadership style you were?
Try and create a group with different leadership styles. Your group should represent all of the colors if possible.
Making difficult decisions as a leader
Task 2: Reflection questions - 3 minute challenge
What is the main aim of a business owner?
What are ethics?
What are ethics?
Ethical Leaders
Ethical leaders ask themselves many questions before making the decision to deal with or terminate an employee. Below are some questions to consider:
• Do I have all the information surrounding the situation?
• Have I looked at all points of view?
• How would I feel if they printed this story on the front page of a newspaper?
• Would I be able to explain my rationale for terminating this employee to my family? …to his/her family?
• How will I feel when I wake up the next morning? Will I still agree with my decision?
• How would I want my boss to treat me if I were in this situation?
• Could someone’s life, health, or safety be endangered by my decision?
• Do I have all the information surrounding the situation?
• Have I looked at all points of view?
• How would I feel if they printed this story on the front page of a newspaper?
• Would I be able to explain my rationale for terminating this employee to my family? …to his/her family?
• How will I feel when I wake up the next morning? Will I still agree with my decision?
• How would I want my boss to treat me if I were in this situation?
• Could someone’s life, health, or safety be endangered by my decision?
Task 3: Group Scenarios
Get into mixed leadership groups - no more than 4 people to a group.
The handouts (Scenarios) provide the framework for situations that could result in termination of employment.
Each group should create two short stories, approximately one paragraph in length, for each handout.
One story should represent a scenario in which you feel it’s your ethical responsibility to keep an employee on staff;
the other story should describe circumstances in which you believe termination of the employee is plausible.
All members of the group must discuss and agree on these circumstances before recording.
During this time, connect the scenarios to the ethical questions listed above. Describe your rationale behind each scenario. Ask the following questions:
• Why would these circumstances make it ethical to keep this employee?
• Why would these circumstances make it unethical to keep this employee?
• How did you decide these considerations were fair and ethical?
The handouts (Scenarios) provide the framework for situations that could result in termination of employment.
Each group should create two short stories, approximately one paragraph in length, for each handout.
One story should represent a scenario in which you feel it’s your ethical responsibility to keep an employee on staff;
the other story should describe circumstances in which you believe termination of the employee is plausible.
All members of the group must discuss and agree on these circumstances before recording.
During this time, connect the scenarios to the ethical questions listed above. Describe your rationale behind each scenario. Ask the following questions:
• Why would these circumstances make it ethical to keep this employee?
• Why would these circumstances make it unethical to keep this employee?
• How did you decide these considerations were fair and ethical?
| senarios-pages-8-10__1_.pdf |
Refelction
Ethical decisions are not often easily made. Special circumstances may unexpectedly alter your response to a situation. It is important for ethical leaders to explore all elements surrounding every situation before making what could be a potentially life-changing decision about a person’s employment status.